Promises
by NYPDBosco
Summary: The conclusion is up! Bosco/Faith/Rylee/Simon Doyle
1. Part 1

1 Promises  
  
******  
  
The only characters I own are Dominique Adams, and Rylee O'Neill.  
  
This is an idea I came up with the other day. The story includes everything up to the episode "Thicker Than Water" which aired on April 1st, and this story also hints at SOME things that I am ASSUMING will take place next week (if they don't take place it still works in my land of make believe!).  
  
OH, and I make up the history as I go along!  
  
Please read and review!  
  
*****  
  
2 Present Day  
  
3 Thursday  
  
Officer Maurice "Bosco" Boscorelli hurried into the locker room almost knocking over Officer Ty Davis. "Whoa man. Slow down. You got plenty of time."  
  
Boscorelli looked at his watch. "Huh. Whaddya know. I'm actually early." Bosco looked around the room with a grin on his face. He was so accustomed to being late that he didn't even realize it when he was early.  
  
His partner Faith Yokas walked over to his locker. She leaned against the metal structure. "Bos. We need to talk."  
  
He looked up from his seat on the bench. Bosco didn't like the look on her face. Something was wrong. He hadn't seen her look like this since that awful night when she told him she had cancer.  
  
Bosco stood up and leaned against the locker so he was close enough to her that no one else would be able to hear them. "You OK? You're—you're not sick again are you?"  
  
"No Bos. I'm fine."  
  
He nodded. That was a relief.  
  
"Why don't you finish getting dressed, and then meet me in the conference room before roll call."  
  
"Yeah. Be there in a minute."  
  
Bosco entered the conference room to find Faith standing with her back to the door. She was looking out the window. She heard him come in and turned around. "Shut the door."  
  
He shut the door, and looked back at Faith. "What's going on?"  
  
"Bos I passed the sergeant's test," she said softly.  
  
"You what?" A look of shock crossed his face. "I mean…that's great." He tried to smile, but was too empty inside to give it a good attempt.  
  
Faith pulled out a chair from the table, and sat down. She pointed to the chair across from her indicating she wanted him to sit as well.  
  
He sat down, glanced at her quickly, and then looked down at the table. He didn't know what to say.  
  
"They offered me a position." She paused. "I accepted."  
  
Bosco's head shot up. "What?!"  
  
"I'm gonna take it. I'm going to be a sergeant."  
  
Bosco ran his hand through his hair, and exhaled. He had no idea what to say. He was completely numb. "Why?" he asked. His voice barely audible.  
  
"We talked about it before Bos. I wanna be around as my kids grow up. There's less risk. Besides with you going ESU I was gonna be without a partner."  
  
He was wringing his hands together. "I'm not going ESU."  
  
"What do you mean? I thought you were pretty much through the test. Didn't you get in?"  
  
"I never finished testing. Decided I didn't want it."  
  
"But Bosco you've been talking about ESU, well, forever."  
  
He just shrugged his shoulders.  
  
They sat in silence for a couple minutes. Neither officer knowing what to say to the other. Bosco finally broke the awkward tension. "So when do you start?"  
  
"Monday."  
  
"Monday? So that means---"  
  
"Today's our last shift together," she finished for him.  
  
He shook his head, and looked at her with sad eyes. "So what happens to me?"  
  
"Well, you've got a couple days off so they're going to be finding someone to partner you up with."  
  
"I never thought this day would come Faith."  
  
"What? You didn't think I could make sergeant!" She took offense to his words.  
  
"That's not what I meant."  
  
"Then what did you mean?"  
  
"I never thought I'd have to work with someone other than you. Kinda thought we'd always be together. We were a team."  
  
"Bos we may not be partners, but we'll always be a team. We'll always be together. It's not like I'm going to take this job, and never talk to you again."  
  
The serious, emotional side of him was showing. It was the side of him that only Faith, his partner knew. "Promise?"  
  
"I promise." Faith stood up. "We better get to roll call."  
  
As Faith walked past Bosco he reached up and grabbed her arm to stop her. He stood up next to her. "Are you gonna be transferred?"  
  
"No," she smiled. "But Christopher is."  
  
Bosco threw his arm around Faith's shoulders and smiled. "Maybe this won't be so bad after all. I get preferential treatment right?" He winked.  
  
"Keep dreaming Boscorelli. You're already on my shit list!"  
  
"You aren't going to make me call you Sergeant Yokas are you?"  
  
"You bet I am! What good is the title if you don't use it? Now come on."  
  
*****  
  
Their final shift together flew by. It was a busy night for the two officers, which didn't give them time to dwell on the partnership that was coming to an end.  
  
Bosco finished changing into his civvies. He looked at Faith who was putting on her jacket. Reality hit him like a ton of bricks as he realized that this was the last time they would walk out of this locker room as partners. On Monday when he came back to work he would have a new partner, and Faith would be his sergeant.  
  
Faith felt him looking at her. She knew what he was thinking because she was thinking the same thing. "Bosco? You OK?"  
  
"Fine."  
  
But she could see it in his eyes. The sadness. The hurt. The disappointment. The fear. The confusion. She knew this would be hard on him. For years they had worked together; side-by-side. They knew each other's families, deepest secrets and fears. Now she was leaving him, and he would have to learn to trust someone else; it wasn't going to be easy for him.  
  
She walked over to him. "Come on. I'll buy you a drink."  
  
He nodded and put on his jacket.  
  
*****  
  
They didn't say much to each other as they sat at the bar. Faith was still working on her first drink, and Bosco was finishing his second beer. He ordered a third.  
  
"Bosco I didn't bring you here to get you drunk."  
  
"No," he looked at her. "Then why'd you bring me here?"  
  
"To talk."  
  
"Talk if you want, but I'm drinking."  
  
"Bos I'm sorry."  
  
"Sorry for what?"  
  
"Springing this on you today."  
  
He turned his attention away from her, and started in on his beer.  
  
"I didn't do this to hurt you. It's just better for me and Fred and the kids." He didn't say anything. "Besides, I really thought you were going ESU. You still can you know. Why don't you finish testing?"  
  
"I can't."  
  
"Sure you can."  
  
Bosco looked at Faith. "With everything that's happened lately. I *can't*." He looked down at the bar. "I can't handle it. I'm not ready, and I don't think I ever will be." He shook his head. "Some cop I turned out to be."  
  
"Bosco you're an excellent cop! Don't doubt yourself."  
  
"Tell me something Faith. Be honest. You taking the sergeants position. Does it have anything to do with me? Were you, are you, afraid I can't do my job anymore?"  
  
"No Bosco. How could you even think that! You just had some pretty low times. I know you're going to bounce back. You just have to give it time." She put her hand on his. "Bosco this is what I had to do for my family."  
  
"What am I going to do without you Faith?" He mentally kicked himself. Even though he had only had a couple beers the alcohol was already loosening his tongue. When he drank he had trouble keeping his mouth shut.  
  
"You'll get a new partner, and you'll move on. Hell, you'll probably forget all about me."  
  
"That's not possible." There was a short lull in their conversation. "Faith."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Remember what you promised me today? About always being a team. Always being together."  
  
"Of course I remember."  
  
He stood up to leave. "Don't break it. Seems like everyone I know breaks their promises."  
  
Faith watched as he walked out of the bar.  
  
*****  
  
When Bosco got home he threw his keys, and wallet on the coffee table. He grabbed a beer out of the fridge, and sat down on the couch. He reached for the remote control, but stopped when he noticed the picture that was sticking out of his wallet. Bosco set down his beer, and pulled out the picture.  
  
The picture was old and worn. The corners were bent, and there was a crease down the center of the picture from having been in his wallet so long. It was a picture of him when he was little. He wasn't quite ten in the picture, and he had his arm around his best friend, Dominique Adams. At the time he never thought he could be best friends with a girl, but the day he met her that had all changed. To this day he thought that she was a big reason why he was able to get along so well with Faith.  
  
"What the hell happened to you Dom?!" He stood, and put the picture in the junk drawer in the kitchen.  
  
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  
  
"Dad stop! You're hurting her!" Yelled Maurice as he stood in the doorway of the living room and watched his father slap his mother repeatedly.  
  
"You're next if you don't shut up you little brat!" spat his father.  
  
"I'm OK Maurice," his mother whimpered.  
  
He couldn't watch this anymore. He had to get out. Maurice ran out the front door crying. The little boy ran down the street and ended up at the playground. He went straight for his favorite spot. The cement tube in the corner of the lot. No one ever went there. That was the one place in the world where he could be alone, and dream of a better life. But today someone was in his place.  
  
"Hey this is my spot!"  
  
"I don't see your name on it!" The little girl stood up, and walked over to Maurice.  
  
"This is where I hang out. You can't be here!"  
  
"I was here first."  
  
"Leave!"  
  
"Make me."  
  
He was so mad. Mad at his dad for hitting his mom. Mad at his mom for taking the abuse. And now he was mad at this girl.  
  
Maurice pushed her. She pushed him back. This girl wasn't backing down, which angered him even more. The next thing he knew they were wrestling on the ground. After a long struggle the girl got Maurice on his back, and then sat on him. A girl had beaten him.  
  
She looked down at him. "I'm pretty sure I won."  
  
"You fight pretty good for a girl."  
  
"Yeah, well, you're not bad for a momma's boy."  
  
"Will you get off me now?"  
  
She stood up, and offered him a hand. "I'm Dominique Adams."  
  
"Maurice Boscorelli."  
  
"Maurice?" she laughed.  
  
"Yeah. What of it?"  
  
"You just don't look like a Maurice."  
  
"And you don't fight like a Dominique."  
  
She grinned. "I think I'll call you---"  
  
"Don't say Moe. My little brother calls me Moe, and it makes me think of the Three Stooges."  
  
"How 'bout Reese?"  
  
"Sure. Nobody calls me that. I'll call you Dom."  
  
"OK."  
  
The two new friends sat together in the cement tube. "So, how old are you?" she asked.  
  
"Eight and a half."  
  
"Me too. When's your birthday?"  
  
"April 25th. When's yours?"  
  
"April 26th."  
  
"No way!"  
  
"Way."  
  
Reese and Dom talked for a long time about typical eight-year-old things. They found out that they lived only ten blocks apart, and that the playground was five blocks from each of their houses. Neither of them had seen each other before though, and they figured that was because they went to different schools.  
  
"So, how come you like this place?" he asked. "I thought I was the only one who came here."  
  
"You promise you won't tell anyone?"  
  
"I promise."  
  
"I come here to get away from my dad. He hits my mom."  
  
Reese looked at her with a horrified expression.  
  
"What?" she asked a bit annoyed.  
  
"My dad hits my mom too," he said sadly.  
  
"Sucks don't it?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Dom stood up. "It's getting really dark Reese. I better head home."  
  
"Me too. See you later Dom."  
  
For almost two years Dom and Reese met up at the playground whenever they could. Sometimes they talked about what went on between their parents and how their dad had started to beat them as well. But mostly they talked about the future. About growing up and getting away.  
  
One night, when they were about ten, Reese met Dom in their favorite spot. "What's wrong Reese?"  
  
"My parents are splitting up."  
  
"That's good isn't it? He can't hurt her anymore."  
  
He looked at her with sad eyes. "I'm moving Dom."  
  
"Where? When?"  
  
"Ma won't say where. We leave tomorrow."  
  
"Tomorrow!"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"You can't move! There's too much stuff we have to do together!"  
  
"I can't help it."  
  
"You'll write to me right?"  
  
Reese looked away. "You'll write to me?"  
  
"I can't."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Ma says we have to start over. She said we have to say goodbye for good. She's afraid dad will find us if I write."  
  
"But I won't say anything!"  
  
"Dom I'm sorry. Look, I'll never forget you."  
  
"Me either."  
  
They stood staring at their feet for a long time. Just thinking.  
  
"Promise me something Reese."  
  
"Anything."  
  
"If we don't run into each other again sometime; promise me that when the clock strikes midnight ending your 30th birthday and beginning mine you'll meet me here. So we can celebrate together like we always do."  
  
"Why when we're 30?"  
  
"I don't know. Just seems like a good number. Promise me."  
  
"I promise."  
  
She held up her hand. "Pinky swear?"  
  
"Pinky swear." They interlocked their little fingers.  
  
"I gotta go Dom."  
  
"Bye Reese."  
  
"Bye," he turned to go home, but stopped. "Hey! What if this place isn't here when we turn 30?"  
  
"Then we'll, uh, meet on the sidewalk outside of whatever is here."  
  
"OK." Once again he turned, and this time he ran home.  
  
"Goodbye Maurice," she whispered as she watched her friend disappear into the night.  
  
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  
  
11:59PM April 25th, 2000 Bosco's 30th Birthday  
  
He couldn't believe the playground was still here. It looked exactly the same as the day he had left. Bosco looked at his watch as it changed to midnight. "Where are you Dom?"  
  
He sat down on one of the swings, and thought back to the last time he had seen her. Sure it was almost twenty years ago, but they had made a promise to meet each other here. No matter how dumb or strange it seemed he always intended on keeping that promise.  
  
"I wonder if something happened to her? Her dad used to beat her pretty bad," he thought.  
  
Bosco sat there until 12:15. He stood up to leave. "Happy Birthday Dom," he said into the night. "So much for keeping promises."  
  
************  
  
So, what do you think so far???  
  
10 year olds can think of some pretty corny promises eh? 


	2. Part 2

Promises  
  
Part 2  
  
****  
  
Once again I only own Dominique Adams and Rylee O'Neill.  
  
From what I have gathered from a site that lists guest stars and all that jazz the Lt. that I am constantly referring to is Lt. Swersky. So I actually used his last name a couple of times in this story!  
  
OH, and just to let you know I don't REALLY think Faith will take a Sgt. Position, it just worked better with my story idea :o)  
  
Please, please, please review. I really want to know what you think. Plus reviews make me smile, and I like to smile :o)  
  
*****  
  
1 Sunday  
  
"Thanks for coming in Faith," said Lieutenant Swersky as Yokas walked into his office. "I know it's your day off, but I was hoping you could help me with something."  
  
"Sure thing." Faith sat across from him.  
  
"Well, as you know I now have the task of finding Boscorelli another partner." Faith nodded. "I'm a little concerned."  
  
"Concerned about what sir?"  
  
"He's had some rough times of late, and I want to make sure we get him a good match. Someone who will compliment his skills, but can also help him deal with what has happened to him."  
  
"Lieu, you don't have to worry about Bosco. He'll be fine."  
  
The Lieutenant tilted his head and looked at her. "Yokas, you're a sergeant now. I know you mean well, but you have to think with your head on this one…not your heart."  
  
"Actually Lieu I think it's coming more from my gut."  
  
He smirked. "OK. We have three options. I want you to tell me what you think." Faith nodded. "Option one. Gusler."  
  
She quickly shook her head no. "No way. Not gonna work. They aren't good for each other mentally."  
  
"Option two. Sullivan."  
  
"I don't think that's going to work either. Bosco's gonna need someone he can confide in. Those two were a little iffy together before, and since Sully has seen Bosco at his all time low…you know I just don't think Bosco would be comfortable working with him. But who does that leave? Davis is on desk duty for a while isn't he?"  
  
"Yeah, so that's where option three comes in." He picked up a file folder from a stack on his desk and handed it to Faith. "Rylee O'Neill. She's transferring in from thirty eight."  
  
Faith opened the folder, and briefly scanned through O'Neill's information. "Well decorated officer. Have you talked to her?"  
  
"Only briefly, and what I got from the thirty eight makes it sound like she's a female version of Boscorelli."  
  
"Seriously? Is that even possible?" Faith grinned.  
  
"I guess," he shrugged. "Can you imagine *two* Bosco's in the same precinct?"  
  
Faith shook her head in disbelief. "Why's she coming here?"  
  
"From what I've been told it sounds like her partner was injured on the job, and decided to call it quits. She wanted a fresh start, and we were short handed."  
  
"If she's everything they say is it wise to team her up with Bosco? I mean, their personalities being so similar."  
  
"Faith, you know better than anyone that Boscorelli hasn't been himself lately. Especially after the panic attacks. I'm expecting her to pick up the slack."  
  
This was tough on Faith. She knew Lieu was right. Bosco was far from being back to "normal", and since he started having these panic attacks things weren't looking too good for him. "Why did I take this position now, when Bosco needs me the most?" she asked herself. But she nodded her head in agreement. "So, when do we meet Officer O'Neill? Is Bosco going to meet her before tomorrow?"  
  
"Actually both Boscorelli and O'Neill are due here in a few minutes. I thought it would be best if we introduced them, and briefed her on his situation."  
  
"His situation?"  
  
"Faith you know we have to tell her about his panic attacks. She has to be able to identify the symptoms in case he has another one."  
  
"He's been fine the last few days."  
  
"Yes, but he has been working with you. He knows you. He trusts you. Now he's going to be with someone totally new."  
  
"God what was I thinking?" she asked herself.  
  
There was a knock on the door. "Hey Boss. I got a call said I was s'posed to meet with you."  
  
"Come on in Bosco. Have a seat."  
  
Bosco grabbed the chair next to Faith. He grinned. "Hello Sergeant Yokas."  
  
She laughed. "OK that just sounded stupid. You're going to have to call me Faith."  
  
"Good. Cause I felt dumb saying it."  
  
There was another knock. Bosco, Faith and Lieu all looked toward the door. Standing in front of them was a woman about 5'7" whose build was very similar to Boscorelli's. She had brown eyes, and very short brown hair with bleached blonde tips. Her hair was messed up in every direction.  
  
"Who is this punk," Bosco thought.  
  
"Lieutenant Swersky? I'm Rylee O'Neill from the thirty eighth precinct."  
  
"Nice to meet you Officer O'Neill," he extended his hand, which she shook firmly. "This is Sergeant Faith Yokas, and Officer Maurice Boscorelli."  
  
Faith and Bosco stood up to shake her hand. "Call me Bosco."  
  
"Why don't you have a seat, and we'll get this started."  
  
She nodded, and sat next to Bosco.  
  
"All right. The reason I called you down here was to introduce you to each other. Bosco, you and Rylee are going to be partners starting tomorrow."  
  
Bosco nodded. "Great," he thought, "and they think I'm a nut job. What's with her hair?"  
  
"Rylee, Bosco here is one of our finest officers, and from what I have gathered I feel the two of you will work well together," Lieu took a deep breath and looked at Bosco. He then turned his attention back to Officer O'Neill. "However Rylee, before you two start working together there are some things you need to be briefed on."  
  
Bosco's stomach lurched. His eyes got wide, and the room suddenly got really hot. "Oh no. No! She's gonna think I'm crazy. Oh God please don't let him tell her!" His mind was screaming at him. His heart started to race. He looked at Faith.  
  
Faith saw the panic in Bosco's eyes. "Oh Bosco," she thought. Seeing that he was worked up she quickly grabbed his hand. "It's OK Bos. You know we have to tell her. Just try to relax. Take deep breaths. It's alright," Faith said softly.  
  
Both the Lieutenant and Officer O'Neill noticed the exchange between Faith and Bosco. "Boscorelli are you OK?"  
  
He looked at Lieu, gulped and ran a shaky hand through his hair. "Yeah. Sorry Boss."  
  
"Nothing to be sorry about. Remember we're here to help you."  
  
Bosco nodded as O'Neill looked on with a confused expression; which Lieu noticed.  
  
"Well Rylee that's what we were just about to discuss. Officer Boscorelli has had some very traumatic experiences over the last couple of months. Due to the stress from these situations he has recently been suffering from occasional panic attacks."  
  
Bosco stared at his feet. Faith watched his expression. The panic was gone, but was replaced by nervousness. He knew Rylee was looking at him. Man, some first impression he was making on his new partner. In his head he kept asking, "why is this happening to me?" But he couldn't come up with an answer. He looked up, but quickly looked away when he met Rylee's eyes. "I gotta get outta here," Bosco quickly left the room.  
  
Faith stood up to go after him. "No Sarge. Let me talk to him," Rylee stood up.  
  
"When he's upset he usually goes into the locker room or he goes outside. I'd check outside first."  
  
Rylee gave Faith a puzzled look.  
  
"He was my partner," Faith explained.  
  
"Oh."  
  
Rylee found Bosco outside just like Faith said she would. He was sitting on the curb. His elbows on his knees; his head in his hands. She sat down next to him.  
  
"Dude. Sarge was your partner?"  
  
"Yeah." He didn't look at her. "Until Thursday."  
  
"How long were you together?"  
  
"'Bout five years."  
  
"How long you been a cop?"  
  
"'Bout five years."  
  
"Same here. My partner, Johnny, we were together ever since my first day. He got shot about two weeks ago. Decided to call it quits. Now I'm here."  
  
Bosco looked at her. "Why are you telling me this?"  
  
"I don't know," she shrugged. "Figure if we're gonna be partners we should know a little about each other."  
  
"Well, you already know I'm 'mental'."  
  
She chuckled. "Give yourself a break man. Traumatic experiences do crazy shit to people."  
  
"You aren't going to be laughing when I panic and freeze at a crucial moment."  
  
He looked back down at the ground. There was silence between the two officers.  
  
"They got you on medication?"  
  
Bosco nodded.  
  
"They making you see a shrink?"  
  
He nodded again.  
  
"So you're taking care of it?"  
  
He sighed. "Trying to."  
  
"I'm not using this to judge you ya know? They had to tell me."  
  
"Wish they didn't."  
  
"I'm not going to think any less of you because of some panic attacks. My mom used to have 'em. It's not really something you can just stop."  
  
Bosco threw his hands into the air. "I know that!" She was starting to annoy him. She talked too much. "Kinda like Faith," he thought.  
  
"You're human."  
  
"I'm a cop!"  
  
"Just cause we're cops and we see what we see doesn't mean we aren't human! The thoughts. The feelings. They're still there, no matter how hard we try to avoid them."  
  
"You a shrink or something?" he growled.  
  
"Hell no! But I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night." She smiled and stood up in front of him and turned serious once again. "I came here for a fresh start. A new lease on life I guess you could say." She held out her hand to him. "It might be a pretty bumpy road, but I'd like you to come along for the ride Bosco."  
  
He looked up at her. A new lease on life sounded pretty good to him. He took her hand. "Tell me one thing though," he stood up with her help. "Holiday Inn Express? Are *all* your jokes that lame?"  
  
"Guess you'll find out won't you?" she grinned.  
  
The new partners walked back into the Lieutenant's office. "So, where were we?" asked Rylee.  
  
Lieu leaned back in his chair. "Well I was going to tell you about the panic attacks, and how you could identify if one is coming one, and what to do about it."  
  
Rylee looked at Bosco. From what she could tell so far he wasn't the kind of guy who liked having his personal life discussed. "Lieu maybe Sergeant Yokas and I could discuss this one-on-one if you don't mind?" She looked at Faith. "You two were partners right? So you probably know the most about it," she looked back at the lieutenant. "I think if the sergeant and I discussed it privately it would be easiest for me to understand, and I could ask more questions. Then if I need more clarification I could go straight to my partner." She looked at Lieu hopefully as she placed her hand on Bosco's shoulder.  
  
"Good idea O'Neill. After we get all your paperwork finished you and Faith can use my office."  
  
Bosco smiled at his new partner. He knew what she was doing for him, and he appreciated it. He didn't know if he would have been able to handle listening to all the signs and symptoms. Every time the situation was discussed he wanted to run and hide. He couldn't believe he was so weak.  
  
Faith smiled as she saw the small exchange between Bosco and Rylee. She hoped that Rylee would be good for him. Faith could already see the similarities between the two officers in front of her. Rylee was covering for Bosco just as Bosco had covered for Faith so many times in the past. It made her sad though as she realized Bosco was moving on.  
  
*****  
  
"That wraps it up then. Yokas, O'Neill the office is all yours. Boscorelli we'll see you tomorrow, oh, and try to be on time." Lieutenant Swersky left the office.  
  
Bosco nodded. "No problem." Faith rolled her eyes.  
  
"Oh please don't tell me you're the late one on the shift."  
  
He looked at Faith then at Rylee. "Well, sometimes…"  
  
"Sometimes Bosco? Sometimes? Try like every other day," Faith looked at Rylee. "And that's when it's a good week."  
  
"Easy Yokas." He put his hands up to signal her to stop. Bosco leaned in toward Faith, but spoke loud enough for Rylee to hear. "No need for you to tell her all my faults in one day alright." He looked at Rylee with a grin. "Why don't we let her figure some of it out on her own? It's more fun that way."  
  
"Fun for you. Torture for me, right?"  
  
Bosco pointed at her with both hands. "Exactly!"  
  
Faith laughed and shook her head. "OK Bos. I gotta get home in time to make dinner, so if you'll excuse us."  
  
He nodded slowly. "Yeah, OK," he said softly.  
  
"Unless you wanna stay, and discuss—"  
  
"Uh nah, I got some stuff I have to do." He started to back out of the office. "I'll uh, see you tomorrow Rylee. Look forward to working with you."  
  
"Yeah. Nice to meet you Bosco."  
  
"I'll call you later OK Bosco?"  
  
"Sure thing Sergeant Yokas," he saluted her, and walked out the door.  
  
"That's gonna get old really fast," grumbled Faith. Rylee chuckled.  
  
"So, where do we start?" asked Rylee.  
  
Faith sighed. "I'm not really sure. There's so much to it. Bosco's a pretty complicated guy."  
  
"Can you give me a little background on what led up to these panic attacks?"  
  
Faith took her time before answering. She pondered the question. How could she answer it without feeling like she was betraying him? He was so hurt the last time she discussed his life with someone. What was he going to think now? But she had to tell Rylee so she would know what can trigger the attacks. So she could help him stay away from those types of situations. She had a right to know. Bosco would understand. She hoped.  
  
"It's a long list. You sure you're ready?" Rylee nodded. Faith took a deep breath. "Well, it all started after 9/11. We had a rape case that was pretty screwed up, after that Bosco arrested his brother, not too long after that Bosco was shot…his vest stopped the bullet, but he fractured a rib. But I think the two things that have had the most effect on him were when his ESU buddy decided to commit suicide by holding Bosco hostage and then getting himself shot by an ESU sniper, and a couple weeks ago we were involved in a gang shoot out. We were riding with different partners that day. Things got ugly pretty fast. Bosco and his partner were getting pinned behind their RMP, so Bosco made a run for it to draw the fire. His plan worked except somehow his partner was killed."  
  
"Damn. How could all that happen to one person?" Rylee shook her head in disbelief.  
  
"And it's all happened pretty close together. He never really had time to process any of it."  
  
"It's not surprising then that he's having these attacks."  
  
"You'll learn that Bosco's a talker. His mouth gets him in trouble more often then not, but when it comes to his life and his feelings he clams up. Won't say a word. We were partners almost five years and there's still stuff he won't talk to me about, but I know him better than anyone else. I have to admit I'm a little worried about him."  
  
"I understand your concerns, and I know I'm not going to gain his trust in one shift. But I think that when we talked outside today we took a step in the right direction."  
  
"You now he'll probably try to kill me if he finds out what I've told you," Faith laughed nervously.  
  
"I appreciate the heads up on what has happened, but I don't plan on letting him know that I know. Hopefully he'll tell me himself eventually. I'm sure it wasn't easy for you to tell me. You probably felt like you were betraying him."  
  
Faith gave Rylee her "how-did-you-know-that" look.  
  
"Come on Sarge. I had a male partner for close to five years," she smirked. "We definitely had our share of 'betrayal' issues."  
  
"Glad to hear we weren't the only ones!"  
  
Rylee and Faith went on to discuss the symptoms of Bosco's panic attacks, and the steps they could take to help control them. Faith felt it was a good conversation, and was glad that Bosco hadn't stayed for it. She knew that he would have been very uncomfortable had he been there.  
  
Faith was very impressed with Rylee, and felt that Bosco would get along with her just fine. The only thing she didn't understand though was how Lieu and the officers at thirty-eight thought Rylee O'Neill was the female version of Bosco. It didn't make sense to her. The only thing she thought was similar about the two was their stature.  
  
*****  
  
The phone rang four times before Bosco finally found it. By the time he answered it the answering machine had already picked up, and was now screeching in high-pitched tones. "Shit! Hold on!" Bosco yelled into the phone. "How do you turn this damn thing off?!" He started randomly hitting buttons, and the noise finally stopped.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey Bos. What was all the noise?"  
  
"Stupid answering machine."  
  
"I see. So how ya doing?"  
  
"I'm fine Faith. You planning on calling me every night to ask me that?"  
  
"Yeah, probably."  
  
"How'd it go with Rylee after I left?"  
  
She could tell he was nervous. "Good. I think you guys are going to get along just fine."  
  
"No, I mean…how'd she…you know what I mean."  
  
"She's fine with it Bosco. As long as you're honest with her about how you are doing…and you keep up with your therapy and medication."  
  
There was silence at the other end.  
  
"Bos? You still there?"  
  
"Yeah. I'm here…it's just those words; therapy and medication. Sometimes it feels like the next thing out of your mouth is going to be 'rubber room'."  
  
"Come on Bos. Don't be so hard on yourself."  
  
He nodded, but she of course couldn't see him. Sometimes she really hated talking to him on the phone because she could hear what he was saying, but she couldn't see his body language or facial expressions; and those usually spoke louder than his words.  
  
"You really think she's OK with it? She doesn't think I'm a freak or anything?"  
  
"She's OK with it Bosco, honest. She even said her mom went through it, so she has dealt with it before."  
  
"Well, hopefully she won't have to deal with any of my problems," he said under his breath.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Nothing. Gonna be weird tomorrow. Workin' with someone else."  
  
"Tell me about it, and I'm going to be indoors all day. That's going to be strange."  
  
There was silence as both of them began to feel awkward, and as if they were already growing apart.  
  
"Bosco I'm sorry."  
  
"Why do you keep apologizing?"  
  
"Because you need me now more than ever, and I go off and take the sergeant position and leave you with a partner who you don't know at all! Someone you're going to have to learn to trust. Damn Bos I know you better than anyone. I should have realized how difficult this could be. I can't believe I did this. I can't believe I was so selfish! I'm sorry."  
  
"Faith. Relax. It's going to be alright. *I'm* going to be all right."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
"Rylee seems nice enough. Besides, we're always going to be a team right? I can always count on you to be there if I need you?"  
  
"Absolutely."  
  
"Then everything's going to be fine." He reassured her, and himself. 


	3. Part 3

Promises  
  
Chapter 3  
  
*****  
  
The only characters I own are Dominique Adams and Rylee O'Neill. Don't bother suing me because nothing I have is worth the money you'd have to spend on a lawyer. :o)  
  
Enjoy!  
  
*****  
  
Bosco arrived at the station house early on Monday. He figured that he should make sure that this new partnership started on the right foot, and if that meant being on time then he'd make sure he was on time. Well, at least for the first week.  
  
He opened his locker and found a small white box on the shelf. Faith was the only one who knew his combination. "Wonder what this is." Bosco picked up the box. There was a note taped to the lid. He sat down on the bench in front of his locker and unfolded the note.  
  
Bos- Just a little something to remind you that I'll always be there. –Faith  
  
He opened the box. Inside was a St. Michael's medallion on a silver chain. Bosco wasn't very religious, but he knew that St. Michael was the patron saint of law enforcement officers. He carefully removed the necklace, and inspected the medallion. The back was engraved. Bosco- Always Have ~Faith~  
  
He smiled as he read the words. Bosco took off the necklace he was wearing and replaced it with the one Faith gave him.  
  
"Boscorelli? You're here early. Special occasion?"  
  
"Hey Sully. Yeah, sorta. I've got a new partner starting today."  
  
Davis entered the locker room. Both Sully and Bosco acknowledge him with a nod.  
  
"Oh yeah, that's right. How you feel about that?"  
  
"Honestly," he chuckled. "I'm a little nervous."  
  
"So do you know who your new partner is?" asked Davis.  
  
"Yeah. I met her yesterday. Rylee O'Neill."  
  
The door opened.  
  
"Damn Bosco. How come you always get the chicks?" joked Davis.  
  
"Excuse me, but did you just call me a *chick*?"  
  
Ty turned around to find Rylee burning a hole through him with her eyes. Bosco went and stood by her.  
  
"Uh, I, uh…"Davis stammered.  
  
"Relax man. I'm just messin' with ya. However, if you ever use the word chick around me again you'll wish you hadn't." She grinned and Davis let out the breath he was holding.  
  
"Ty Davis meet my partner Rylee O'Neill." The two officers shook hands. "And this is his partner John Sullivan. The four of us patrol the same sector."  
  
Sullivan extended his hand. "Everybody calls me Sully."  
  
"Nice to meet you Sully."  
  
Davis and Sully stood looking the new partners up and down. They exchanged a look.  
  
"What?!" Bosco didn't like the way Davis and Sully were looking at them.  
  
"Well it's just…well," began Ty.  
  
"What?!" Rylee was beginning to feel a little self-conscious.  
  
"Damn, you two look so much alike," blurted Sully.  
  
Rylee and Bosco looked at each other. O'Neill shook her head. "I've got better hair," she stated.  
  
Bosco raised his eyebrows. "Whatever," he headed back to his locker. Silence filled the room as the four officers changed into their uniforms.  
  
Davis broke the silence as he headed to roll call. "Seriously. You two could be twins."  
  
"Man you need glasses if you think I look anything like *him*."  
  
Sully took in her tone of voice. "Great. Now we've got two Boscorellis," he complained as he and Davis exited.  
  
Rylee looked at Bosco. "I don't think that was meant as a compliment."  
  
Bosco just shrugged.  
  
As Bosco and Rylee headed to roll call Officers McCarty and Swanson from the day shift were on their way to the locker room. Bosco never had gotten along with those two, and usually tried to steer clear of them. It was the first time he had run into them since he'd started having panic attacks. What had happened to Bosco was now fairly common knowledge, but most the officers at the precinct didn't bring it up. The few who did were very supportive, but Bosco cringed when he saw McCarty and Swanson approaching.  
  
"If it isn't wittle Maurice Boscorelli," said Swanson as if he was talking to a baby. "Where's your mommy Maurice? Shouldn't she be here to hold your hand when you get scared?" He laughed at Bosco.  
  
"Funny Swanson. Now get out of the way." Bosco tried to push past him, but Swanson stood his ground. "Come on man. I don't want any trouble here."  
  
"Oh Maurice is a fraidy cat," he laughed again, and pushed Bosco aside. "Wuss."  
  
Rylee lunged at Swanson. She put her forearm into his chest and slammed him hard against the wall. "I think you owe my partner an apology you son- of-a-bitch!"  
  
"What Boscorelli? You gotta have a *girl* fight your battles. Not much of a man these days are you?" remarked McCarty.  
  
Bosco sprang into action pinning McCarty against the wall the same way Rylee had done to Swanson. "McCarty," Bosco growled. "You and your girlfriend Swanson better stay out of our way! You hear me!?"  
  
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON OUT HERE!" Swersky yelled from down the hall. Faith was standing beside him; both of them had seen the actions of O'Neill and Boscorelli.  
  
Rylee and Bosco let go of the two officers, but not without giving them an extra shove. "SWANSON! McCARTY! GET OUT OF MY SIGHT! BOSCORELLI! O'NEILL! GET YOUR ASSES IN ROLL CALL!"  
  
Rylee smoothed out her shirt, and looked at Bosco. "You OK?"  
  
"Fine. You?"  
  
"Good," she looked toward the locker room where Swanson and McCarty had disappeared. "Bastards."  
  
"No shit."  
  
They walked into roll call and everyone looked at them. All of them had heard Lieutenant Swersky erupt on them. Bosco strutted in like nothing was wrong. Rylee wore a cocky grin on her face. They both took a seat in the back of the room.  
  
"Like I said, two Boscorellis," grumbled Sully to Davis.  
  
Rylee heard him, and leaned forward. "You got a problem Sullivan?"  
  
"Yeah, actually---" he was cut off as Swersky began briefing the officers.  
  
"Alright everybody. First order of business. As many of you know Sergeant Christopher has transferred to another precinct---"  
  
"Thank you God!" said one officer as he high-fived the officer next to him.  
  
"It's about time!" chimed another officer.  
  
Swersky grinned. "Alright. Alright. Settle down. Faith Yokas will be taking his spot." The officers in the room applauded Faith who turned red from the attention. She looked at Bosco to see his reaction. He smiled at her, and pulled the necklace out from under his shirt so she could see it. She turned her attention back to the lieutenant.  
  
"Item two. Officer Rylee O'Neill has transferred here from the thirty eighth precinct," he pointed to her. "She's going to be riding with Boscorelli, so introduce yourself when you get a chance. And our last item for today is a series of purse snatchings throughout the area. We've got a good sketch from one of the victims, so keep your eyes and ears open out there. Have a good tour." As the officers filtered out of the room Swersky shouted above the noise. "Boscorelli. O'Neill. You two stay put!"  
  
Bosco rolled his eyes, and sat back down. "Great," groaned Rylee as she sat next to him.  
  
The door was closed when the room was empty except for Rylee, Bosco, Faith and Lieu. "Come up here you two," Swersky beckoned them with his finger. "What the hell was that?"  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"This isn't a game Boscorelli. Sergeant Yokas and I saw the whole thing."  
  
"It was nothing Lieu."  
  
"Nothing? It sure looked like something to me!"  
  
"Bosco was just introducing me to some of the guys," stated Rylee.  
  
"Interesting introductions," Lieu looked long and hard at the two officers in front of him. "I'm going to let this little incident slide because it's your first day O'Neill. But if I see anything like that again you're both suspended! You got me!?"  
  
"Yes sir," the two officers replied in unison.  
  
"Now get the hell outta here!"  
  
They headed to get their radios. "Man, nothing like having Swersky pissed at you the beginning of your first shift," Bosco noted.  
  
"No big deal," Rylee shrugged. "I've had worse."  
  
Bosco stopped, and looked at her. "You're puttin' me on."  
  
"Nope," she headed for the squad.  
  
Yokas and Swersky stood in the hall and watched the two officers. Lieu looked at Faith and sighed. "They said she was like Bosco. I should've known it wouldn't take long."  
  
Faith didn't say anything. She was still in shock. 


	4. Part 4

Promises  
  
Part 4  
  
******  
  
A few notes before I start.  
  
I've read a few reviews from people who are a little bummed because I broke up Faith/Bosco as partners. DON'T FRET! I did it for a reason…just give it time to develop. I tend to ramble on in my stories before I get to the real thick of it :o)  
  
Some of you are wondering where the best friend, Dom, comes into the story. Once again give me a little time. I promise you I didn't just throw her in the story just to add another character :o)  
  
Oh, and I know that I usually try to stay true to the characters (especially Bosco!) However, after seeing the episode Falling I have decided to go a little with his openness from the final scene. So Bosco will have his moments of weakness.  
  
Keep your thoughts coming though. I really enjoy reading your reviews!  
  
A few 10-codes for you. I realized I use them in my stories, but not everyone knows what the numbers mean…I'm one of those freaks who sits at home at night and listens to my scanner, so they tend to make a little more sense to me.  
  
Anyway these are NYPD 10-Codes that I got off the internet (different PDs use different 10-codes believe it or not)  
  
In Service  
  
10-63 Out of Service-Meal  
  
******  
  
Bosco ran to catch up with Rylee. "What do you mean you've had worse?"  
  
She smirked. "I'm no angel Bosco. So you driving today or what?"  
  
The change o subject caught him off guard as he was still wondering what she meant by 'worse'. Hell, Swersky frightened him at times. "Uh, what? Didn't Yokas tell you? They don't want me to drive for a couple more weeks…you know, just," his voice trailed off.  
  
"Yeah she told me, but if I drive you're going to spend the entire shift giving me directions. I'm not real familiar with our sector. So why don't you drive?"  
  
He shook his head. "No really. They don't want me driving."  
  
Rylee stood in front of the car. "What…you afraid or something?" she grinned.  
  
"No! It's just…well last time," Bosco shook his head. "Come on. You know Swersky will have my ass if he finds out I disobeyed orders."  
  
"Then we'll make sure he doesn't find out. I'll start off driving then we'll switch later. Now get in."  
  
Bosco watched her walk around and get into the driver's seat. "She's starting to make me nervous," he thought as he climbed into the passenger's side. "Central this is 5-5 David we are 10-98."  
  
"10-4 5-5 David."  
  
"So where do we go first partner?"  
  
"I usually like to get coffee. If that's alright with you."  
  
"Whatever works. Just point me in the right direction."  
  
After they got coffee Rylee drove them around for a while as she attempted to get a little more familiar with the area. Bosco pointed out various landmarks and hot spots for activity. He filled her in on the local gangs and who the big drug dealers were.  
  
They had only had two calls and a traffic stop when 5-5 Charlie drove past where they were parked and flashed his lights.  
  
"That's Sully and Davis," Bosco informed her as he got out of the car and went to see what they wanted. Rylee followed suit. "What's up?" Bosco asked when Davis rolled down his window.  
  
"Wanted to know if you two wanted to grab something to eat?"  
  
Bosco looked at Rylee. She nodded. "Sounds good to me."  
  
They called in to Central, and were given permission to go 10-63.  
  
The four officers sat in a corner booth. When they weren't eating they were trying to get to know each other better.  
  
"So you were at the 38th before this. Why'd you transfer?" asked Davis.  
  
"My partner got hurt and he retired," she shrugged, "so I transferred."  
  
"What happened to him?" questioned Sully.  
  
She stared at her plate. "He got shot," she looked up at Sully. "Long story. So, how long have you two been partners?"  
  
"Little over three years," answered Sully.  
  
"Since my first day," added Ty. "Back in the old days Sully and my dad were partners."  
  
"Really?" She raised an eyebrow. "So Sully, you're the old timer eh?"  
  
Sullivan glared at her. He didn't like her attitude. It had taken him a long time to get used to Bosco's antics, and he wasn't real thrilled with having to do it all over again with O'Neill.  
  
"You've been on the force for quite awhile. How come you're still a beat cop?"  
  
"I like what I do out here on the streets. I like helping people. We're—"  
  
Davis and Bosco looked at each other and grinned. "Solving problems," they both said as they tried not to laugh.  
  
Sullivan just shook his head and grumbled something about immaturity.  
  
"Hey Davis. I thought you were supposed to be on desk duty for a couple weeks yet," commented Bosco.  
  
"Yeah, well, the leg feels pretty good, and Gusler got bumped to the day shift. So here I am."  
  
"But we're gonna be laying low for a while," Sully pointed at Bosco. "So it's up to you guys to take the physically challenging calls."  
  
"No sweat," chirped Bosco.  
  
Sully looked at his watch. "We should really get going."  
  
"Yeah," Rylee stood up and tossed the RMP keys to Bosco. "Your turn."  
  
Bosco caught the keys and nervously glanced at Sully and Davis who both wore questioning looks.  
  
"I'm going to use the facilities. I'll meet you at the squad Bosco."  
  
He nodded.  
  
"That's a good idea. Davis I'll catch up with you outside." Sully followed Rylee. He stood outside the women's bathroom waiting for her.  
  
Davis and Bosco walked outside. They stopped just outside the door. Bosco was staring at the keys in his hand. "Look, Bosco. If you aren't ready to drive tell her. I'm sure she'll understand."  
  
"What makes you think I'm not ready?!" Bosco snapped at Ty.  
  
"I'm just saying if you aren't up to it don't do it. Give it time man."  
  
Bosco nodded.  
  
O'Neill came out of the restroom. She wasn't looking where she was going and ran right into Sully. "Sorry man. Didn't see you." Sully glared at her. "What?"  
  
"Don't push him."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Bosco. Don't rush him. He needs time. He isn't supposed to drive for a couple more weeks. You need to take it easy with him. He's not ready yet."  
  
"How would you know if he's ready or not? It's his choice."  
  
Right! His, not yours!"  
  
"Relax man. He'll be fine."  
  
"Look! I was with him when it happened, and it's something I hope he never experiences again. But if you push him into something he isn't ready for it's likely to happen again. Bosco's very proud and very stubborn; he isn't going to tell you anything. So it's *your* job to look out for him," with the word 'your' Sully firmly tapped her with his finger. He turned away and left a sullen looking Rylee in the hallway.  
  
Sully stormed out of the restaurant. "Davis get in the car," he snapped.  
  
"Geez, what's eaten him?"  
  
Ty shrugged, and headed for the car. Rylee came out of the restaurant and walked toward Bosco who was leaning against their RMP.  
  
"What's with you?" asked Davis as he got in the squad and closed the door.  
  
"Her," Sully retorted as he nodded in Rylee's direction. They sat and watched Rylee approach Bosco.  
  
"We gonna go or what? Sul? What are you waiting for?"  
  
Sullivan looked at his partner. "We're going to wait and see if she does the right thing."  
  
Bosco looked down at the keys once again then he looked at his partner. "You ready?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
Bosco pushed himself off the car and headed for the driver's side. Rylee grabbed his arm. "Wait." Bosco turned back toward her. "Hey I'm sorry. If you don't want to drive you don't have to. I don't want to push you into anything you may not feel ready for."  
  
He looked at the keys, then at Rylee. Bosco handed her the keys. "I guess I'm a little nervous. Last time I, uh…"  
  
"Hey no problem. I gotta get used to driving around her anyway," she smiled.  
  
The rest of their shift went without a hitch. Bosco and Rylee got to know each other a little better, and with every call they went on Bosco was becoming more and more comfortable with being back on the job. It was only his fourth shift since coming off a week's suspension, and a week of desk duty after that. He'd worked three days with Faith last week, but most of that time was spent on special details Swersky had assigned them. Today was his first real day of police work, and he was pretty proud of himself for making it through unscathed.  
  
Sully and Davis were just getting ready to head home when Bosco and Rylee came into the locker room. "So, how did your first full day of active duty go Bosco?"  
  
He puffed up his chest and grinned. "Good. Really good. How 'bout you hop-a-long? How'd it go?"  
  
Davis chuckled. "It was good man."  
  
"OK, well I'll check you guys tomorrow." Davis headed out of the locker room, and Sully stood up without a word and followed him.  
  
"Sullivan. Wait up a sec," Rylee called after him, but he kept going. She caught up to him in the hallway. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"  
  
Sully looked at his watch, and crossed his arms with a huff. "You've got one minute."  
  
"I thought about what you said earlier, and you were right. I need to just let things run their course with Bosco. He'll drive when he feels he's ready," she looked down at the floor briefly before looking back up at Sully.  
  
He sighed. "Rylee, Bosco's a hell of a cop. He gets on my nerves, but he's good at what he does. He's a little off right now, but give him the time he needs and he'll be alright."  
  
She nodded in understanding. Sully turned to walk away. "Sully."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"We, uh, kinda got off on the wrong foot today. I've been told I can be a little hard to swallow, but I'm usually not that much of a bitch. It's not easy ya know. Transferring to a new precinct. Plus being female on top of that."  
  
"No, I don't know."  
  
"Well, I guess I was just trying to make a big impression. Get you guys to accept me."  
  
"Just be yourself O'Neill."  
  
"Yeah, I'll try."  
  
Sully shook his head. "See you tomorrow O'Neill."  
  
"Yeah, tomorrow."  
  
"What was that about?" Bosco asked as Rylee came back into the locker room.  
  
"Nothing much. Just a little apology." She started to change into her civvies.  
  
"You had to apologize to Sully? For what?"  
  
"Don't worry about it. It wasn't a big deal."  
  
Bosco shook his head. "Damn. First Swersky's on your ass then you have to apologize to Sullivan. That's a helluva first day."  
  
"I'd say."  
  
Boscorelli closed his locker and put on his black leather jacket. "Sorry about this afternoon."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You know. Swanson and McCarty."  
  
"Oh that. Don't sweat it."  
  
"Yeah well. It got you on Swersky's bad side before your first shift even started."  
  
"Look you're my partner. The guy insulted you and pushed you. When that happens I'm gonna get involved."  
  
Bosco leaned against the locker and looked down at the floor. "A couple months ago," he said softly. "You would have had to pull me off the guy, but today you had to come to my rescue."  
  
"So."  
  
"So, I'm not who I used to be. I'm not the same kinda cop I was," he said sadly.  
  
"That isn't necessarily a bad thing."  
  
"To me it is."  
  
Rylee pulled her sweatshirt over her head. She looked at him. "You handled McCarty. Give it time Bosco. Those killer instincts will come back," she smiled.  
  
He nodded. "You wanna come to my place for a beer or something?"  
  
"Sure. You need a ride home?"  
  
"No. They don't want me driving a squad, but they don't care if I crash my own car." They both laughed. He gave her directions to his apartment. "I'll wait for you outside the building."  
  
*****  
  
Bosco opened up the fridge, and pulled out two beers. He handed one to Rylee. "Actually do you have anything else? I don't drink."  
  
"Really? Not at all?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
He put one beer back. "I've got Mountain Dew."  
  
"That works."  
  
"So you really don't drink?"  
  
She shook her head. "Is that a problem?"  
  
"No, no, it's just that it's kinda unusual. Why don't you?"  
  
"Long, boring story."  
  
He nodded. "Hey can you grab the bottle opener out of that drawer?" He pointed to the junk drawer.  
  
Rylee opened the drawer, and looked for the bottle opener. She found it underneath a picture. "Hey, cute kids. Is that you?"  
  
Bosco looked over her shoulder as he took the bottle opener from her. "Yup, that's me." He headed for the living room.  
  
"Who's the girl? Your sister?"  
  
"I don't have a sister."  
  
"Then who is she?"  
  
"Dominique."  
  
"How old were you?"  
  
"Why do you care?"  
  
"I'm just curious. No big deal."  
  
"I think we were ten or something," he shrugged.  
  
"Where is she now?" Rylee put the picture down and went into the living room.  
  
"Damned if I know," he said bitterly.  
  
"Something happen between you two?"  
  
"Would you just drop it!"  
  
"Geez. Somebody's a little touchy," she chuckled.  
  
"Look I don't want to talk about it."  
  
"OK, OK. Sorry."  
  
Bosco took a drink of his beer. He picked up the remote and turned on the TV. "SportsCenter or Animal Planet?"  
  
She didn't reply. She just looked at him. Bosco met her eyes. "Ry? What do you wanna watch?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, uh, SportsCenter."  
  
He took another swig of beer. She was still looking at him. "What?"  
  
"Are you supposed to be drinking? I mean with the medication you're on."  
  
"I'm not taking it," he said nonchalantly.  
  
"You aren't?"  
  
"Nah, I'm fine. I don't need it."  
  
"But Bosco---"  
  
"Look some shrink wants me to take a pill to help with anxiety. He says to take it when I 'feel' an attack coming on. I'm a cop for crying out loud! In the middle of a pursuit I can't just stop and take a pill. It's pointless."  
  
"What if you took it before your shift?"  
  
"Then I'd be taking it even if I don't need it. How would I know if I'm getting any better?"  
  
"You still going to counseling?"  
  
"It's mandatory. Don't have much of a choice."  
  
"How's it going?"  
  
He stared at the TV. "It's not up for discussion." 


	5. Part 5

Promises  
  
Part 5  
  
*****  
  
Remember I don't own anything!  
  
I hope no one is offended by the material in this chapter. I have made a joke about homosexuality, but ONLY because it has been discussed in past episodes. Part of Bosco's personality is his homophobia. I don't want anyone to hate me. It's meant ONLY as a joke.  
  
*****  
  
Bosco reached the front entrance of the precinct at the same time as Faith on Tuesday afternoon. He looked at her and smiled nervously. It was very strange to him that they weren't partners, and he wasn't sure how he was supposed to act. "Hey."  
  
"Hey."  
  
He opened the door for her. "After you Sergeant."  
  
"Thanks Bosco." As soon as she was through the door she stopped to wait for him. "So how'd it go yesterday?"  
  
He nodded a few times. "Good."  
  
"What was the deal with Swanson and McCarty?"  
  
Bosco gave her a suspicious look. "Are you asking as my sergeant or as Faith?"  
  
"I'm not in uniform yet Bosco," she smiled.  
  
"It was no big thing. Swanson insulted me, pushed me and Rylee didn't appreciate it."  
  
"So why'd *you* end up pinning McCarty against the wall?"  
  
Boscorelli shrugged. "He pissed me off." Faith gave him a look only mothers could give. "Come on Faith. They were asking for it. What did you expect us to do? Just stand there and take it?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Believe it or not I tried that. But I don't think Rylee has learned that lesson yet."  
  
"Right. What was up with her yesterday anyway?"  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Sunday she's the perfect angel then yesterday it's like she's…I don't know. I guess I just wasn't expecting the attitude."  
  
"Me either. But I gotta admit, I like a woman with attitude." He winked at Faith, and his face broke into a wide grin.  
  
Faith couldn't help laughing. They started to walk up the stairs to the landing where the locker room is located. "Faith, thanks for the medal."  
  
"You like it? The engraving wasn't too sappy for you was it?"  
  
"Come on Yokas, it's me."  
  
"My point exactly," she chuckled.  
  
"It's perfect Faith," he smiled at her. She looked into his eyes and could tell that he meant it.  
  
*****  
  
"GAWD! Is today some kinda of criminal holiday or something?!" bitched Rylee as she and Bosco sat in their squad car. "I'm so frickin' bored! We've had two calls in SIX HOURS!"  
  
Bosco looked at her. "Have you ever thought about taking up yoga?" He asked very seriously.  
  
"Yoga?! You mean like standing-with-your-hands-together-in-front-of-your- chest-and-calling-yourself-a-mountain-yoga?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Hell no! You gotta be a tad bit fruity to do yoga. If you know what I mean." She looked over at him to find he was looking at her; his jaw set. "Oh please tell me you're kidding," she laughed. "*You* practice yoga? Super cop Maurice Boscorelli does yoga."  
  
"It helps me relax. It's been awhile since I've been to class though."  
  
Her jaw dropped. "You aren't kidding are you?"  
  
"Nope. Maybe you'd like to go with me sometime."  
  
She turned in the driver's seat so she was facing him. Rylee just looked at him; shocked that a macho guy like him would practice yoga.  
  
"What? What?!" He could see the twinkle in her eyes, and for some reason he didn't think it was a good sign.  
  
"I have to ask."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"How should I put this?"  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Are you a little, uh, light in your loafers?"  
  
"WHAT! You did *not* just ask me that!" He was beside himself. "No! No! Of course not!"  
  
"Whoa! Relax. It's just the whole yoga thing kinda threw me."  
  
"For your information I only started going because I was involved with the instructor."  
  
"So you are."  
  
"NO! Female instructor! Geez!" Bosco slumped in the seat and ran a hand through his hair. "Why does everyone always think I'm gay?" he asked softly. Rylee could hear the frustration in his voice.  
  
"Because you're obviously not."  
  
"Huh?" He swung his head around to look at her.  
  
"You just set yourself up too easily Bosco."  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"I don't know about *everyone* else, but it's pretty obvious to me you're straight as an arrow. I mean you're practically drooling over every woman that walks by! So when you set yourself up like you just did it's that much more fun to ruffle your feathers."  
  
"Augh! I'm gonna kill you!"  
  
"No you're not. Cause deep down you're laughing your ass off," she smiled at him.  
  
"No I'm not," he said matter-of-factly.  
  
They sat in silence for a couple minutes. Bosco fuming, and Rylee laughing at him. He turned and shot daggers at her with his eyes.  
  
"Would you relax? I was just messing with you."  
  
"ALL UNITS OF THE 5-5 WE HAVE A 10-59 AT 210 AND JEFFERSON. ASSIST FDNY"  
  
"Great! We get to direct traffic for the bucket boys. Yippee," she said as she waved her index finger in a circular motion.  
  
"Thought you were bored? Just *itchin'* for something to do," teased Bosco.  
  
"I'd rather deal with some dumb ass drunk who fell down in the park than assist them."  
  
"5-5 David 10-4." Bosco flipped on the lights and siren, and Rylee took off. They pulled up to the scene to find the third floor of a small apartment building engulfed in flames. There were people rushing out of the building. Boscorelli and O'Neill hopped out of the car. A frantic woman ran to Rylee screaming about people still inside.  
  
"Where the hell is Fidny?!" screamed Rylee over the noise as she ran toward the burning building.  
  
"Rylee wait!" Bosco called after her. He grabbed his radio. "This is 5-5 David. 10-84. Where is FDNY?!" Bosco saw Rylee enter the building. "RYLEE!" He ran to the entrance, but stopped. He bent over to catch his breath. His heart was racing. His chest was tight. "Oh shit! Not now."  
  
Bosco tried to take a deep breath. Visions of the World Trade Center ran through his mind. He shook his head, and grabbed his chest. "Not now. Not now. Where the hell is the engine?" His mind cleared briefly, and he forced himself to go into the building. He keyed his radio. "RYLEE! WHERE ARE YOU? RYLEE!"  
  
"SECOND FLOOR! LEFT OF THE STAIRS! I'VE GOT TWO VICTIMS!"  
  
He fought back the urge to vomit, and ran up the stairs. His chest was heaving. His eyes wide with fear. When he reached the second floor he stopped, and held onto the banister to steady himself. A wave of dizziness swept over him. He thought his heart was going to explode. He tried to control his breathing, but it hurt. He could hardly get any air into his lungs.  
  
"BOSCO!" His head shot up when he heard her voice. He looked around wildly as he tried to find her. "OVER HERE!" Bosco made his way toward her voice. In his mind he kept seeing the World Trade Center, then he'd see himself being shot, then Shaquana, then Hobart. It kept playing over and over again. He had no idea where he was going.  
  
Finally he found Rylee. She saw the look on his face. "Damn," she thought. "What do I do? How do I get him through this? I started with two victims now I have three."  
  
The ceiling above them was starting to fall as the fire consumed it. Flames dropped all around them starting the second floor on fire as well. Rylee grabbed Bosco's face in her hands. "BOSCO!" He blinked rapidly. She shook him. "We have to carry them down the stairs! NOW! You with me?!" His face was blank. "YOU WITH ME?!"  
  
"I-I c-c-can't," he stammered as he tried to get air into his lungs. The smoke around him wasn't helping his attempt.  
  
"Yes you can! I'll talk you through it! Trust me!"  
  
He was so hot, and so tired. And on top of that he was afraid. What was he doing here in this burning building? Bosco grabbed his chest in pain. Rylee quickly pulled him over to a little girl who was lying on the floor. "Pick her up and get down the stairs! Don't look back!" He didn't know how, but he managed to do what he was told. Rylee pulled the second victim who was much larger into a fireman's carry. She shouted to Bosco. "Go, go, go!"  
  
The fire was behind her on the stairs. They raced down the stairs. Rylee shouting at Bosco the entire time to keep him moving. She was trying to be a link to him. Trying to get into his mind along with the visions so that he might have some idea as to what was going on around him.  
  
When they reached the first floor landing they were met by firefighters. DK took the girl from Bosco, and Doherty and Walsh took the weight from Rylee and headed for the exit. As Boscorelli and O'Neill reached the door there was a loud, hot explosion behind them that sent the two officers down the four front steps and onto the sidewalk.  
  
******  
  
  
  
Sorry I just had to be mean and leave this little cliff hanger (  
  
Don't forget to go to www.boscorelli.com/nomform.htm to nominate your favorite TW stories in the first ever TW Fan Fiction Awards! Voting will take place in a month or so. Please go nominate some stories and authors so we can recognize all the wonderful authors who post their writings for us!!  
  
If you're on fanfiction.net follow the arrow…click the little button and send me a review (  
  
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V THANKS! 


	6. Part 6

Promises 6  
  
*****  
  
Remember as you read this that I'm just developing the story right now. It will get better! I have to cover everything first though…I'm just that way :o)  
  
*****  
  
The explosion hurtled Rylee and Bosco down the steps, and slammed them into the concrete sidewalk. Sully and Doc were the first to reach them. Rylee had started to slowly push herself off the ground when Doc crouched down beside her. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Stay put. Let me check you out."  
  
O'Neill glanced at the paramedic as she got to her feet. "In case you haven't noticed the building behind us is on fire. I don't know about you, but I'd rather not stay here."  
  
Doc nodded. "Ok, you're right, but why don't you come with me over to the bus, and we'll make sure you're alright." He reached for her elbow to assist her to the ambulance. To his trained eye she looked a little shaky.  
  
Rylee pulled away from him. "Thanks, really. But I'm fine." She began coughing violently.  
  
"Yeah, you sound fine," he chided sarcastically. "And incase you hadn't noticed," he pointed at her. "You're bleeding. Now come on." He grabbed her by the sleeve and walked her toward the ambulance.  
  
"Hey Doc. Can you come here a sec?" called Sully, who was standing beside Bosco.  
  
"Yeah. Carlos! Take Officer…" Doc looked for her name badge.  
  
"O'Neill," she said before she started coughing again.  
  
"Take Officer O'Neill, patch her up, and check for smoke inhalation."  
  
Doc approached Sully and Bosco. "What's up Sully?"  
  
Sullivan pointed at Bosco who was still sitting on the pavement. "He's pretty shook up, and having a little trouble catching his breath. He's got that look on his face."  
  
Doc raised his eyebrows. "Look? What look?"  
  
"It's the far off deer in headlights look," Sully said quietly as he looked down at Boscorelli. "The same look he had on his face when he had his last panic attack."  
  
Doc looked at Bosco then back to Sully. "You think he had another one?" He asked in a whisper.  
  
"I can hear you," Bosco said in an angry tone.  
  
"All right Bosco. You wanna tell me what's going on then?" asked Doc as he got down to Bosco's level.  
  
"Hard to breath. I sucked in a lot of smoke," Bosco started to cough, and was gasping for breath.  
  
Sully crouched down next to Bosco. He noticed the sweat on Bosco's face. Sure he had just come out of a fire, but this was a clear sheet of perspiration. He also noticed his pale features, but the thing that really concerned Sully was the look on Bosco's face. It was the same look he had seen when Bosco had a panic attack that day in the squad car. "Bosco. Did you have another one?"  
  
"N-no," Bosco was still trying to calm his breathing.  
  
"The truth Bosco," Sully said sternly.  
  
Bosco nodded his head weakly.  
  
Doc stood up. "Hang tight Bos. I'll go get the gurney."  
  
"No!" Bosco shouted. He swallowed hard. "I'm fine. I'm OK."  
  
"Bosco you've been through—"  
  
"Doc. I'm fine. Let's not draw anymore attention to this," he looked up at Doc. His eyes pleading with the senior paramedic. "Please, just help me up."  
  
Sully looked at Doc who nodded his agreement. "We still need to get you checked out." Bosco nodded as Doc and Sully hauled him to his feet.  
  
When he got to his feet Bosco rested his hands on his knees and tried to take a couple deep breaths. He coughed hard, and stood up. "God, I'm tired," he groaned softly.  
  
"I bet." Doc led Bosco to the ambulance as Sully went back to directing traffic.  
  
*****  
  
Rylee sat in the ambulance holding an oxygen mask to her face as Carlos put butterfly strips over the cut above her eye. "Looks like you're going to need a few stitches, and you more than likely have a concussion. Plus you're gonna have a good shiner. We'll transport you to Mercy as soon as we're done here," Carlos started to get out of the bus. "Oh, and make sure you keep that mask on." Rylee nodded.  
  
Just then Doc and Bosco came around the ambulance. "OK Bosco. Climb in." He did as instructed.  
  
Rylee took in her partner's appearance, and removed her oxygen mask. "You alright Bos?"  
  
Bosco nodded as he sat down. Doc followed him, and proceeded to examine him. "Ok Bosco," Doc handed him an oxygen mask. "You definitely have smoke inhalation. Take nice deep breaths. We're going to take you both to Mercy." Doc turned to leave.  
  
"I'm not going to Mercy," said Bosco in a determined voice.  
  
"Yes, you are. Now put that mask on."  
  
Bosco leaned his head back against the wall of the bus, and closed his eyes. Rylee watched him closely as she sat there. "Bos, you OK?" she asked.  
  
He took off his oxygen mask. "Jus' tired," he put the mask back on. It felt so good to breathe in clean oxygen. He was starting to relax now, but he sure was tired.  
  
As Doc and Carlos finished loading the equipment in the bus firefighter Jimmy Doherty approached. "How stupid can you be?! You two should have waited for us."  
  
Rylee glared at him. "There's wasn't time," she coughed. "What took you guys so long anyway?" She continued to cough.  
  
"Put your mask back on," instructed Carlos.  
  
"We were dispatched from another call." Jimmy looked at Rylee, and it dawned at him that he had never seen her before. "Who are you anyway?"  
  
"I could ask you the same thing." O'Neill and Doherty just stared at each other.  
  
Bosco looked at them and took off his mask. He pointed, "Jimmy, Doc, Carlos. Meet my new partner, Rylee O'Neill."  
  
They all nodded at each other. "You guys should have waited for us," said Jimmy as he walked away.  
  
"What's his problem?" asked Rylee.  
  
"Jimmy's just being Jimmy," said Carlos. "Now keep that mask on." Carlos headed for the driver's seat.  
  
Doc started to close the back doors. "I'm gonna ride up front. You two gonna be OK back here?"  
  
Bosco looked at Doc. "Can I lay down?"  
  
"Yeah, sure. You feeling OK?"  
  
"Really tired," Bosco replied as he laid down on the gurney he was sitting on. Doc closed the doors.  
  
Rylee watched Bosco during the ride to Mercy. He had curled up on his side, and fallen asleep. As she watched him sleep she thought about her actions when they had arrived at the fire. She didn't even think; she had just run into the building. It was just her way. She always relied on her instincts. Tonight her instincts told her to run into that burning building to try and save those people.  
  
She watched as Bosco rolled onto his back. Rylee leaned her head back. Not once did she think about her partner tonight before she acted. "Dammit!" she thought. "He had a panic attack, and it's my fault! He's my partner; I should have known he'd follow me into the building! Dammit! Why didn't I stop and think? What if he'd really been hurt?"  
  
The ambulance came to a stop, and within seconds Doc was opening the back door. Rylee reached over and gently shook Bosco's shoulder. "Hey buddy. We're here."  
  
Bosco sat up slowly, and rubbed his eyes. "Have a nice nap?" asked Doc with a grin. "Carlos will be back in a sec with wheelchairs for you two."  
  
"I don't need a wheelchair," Rylee stated as she started to get out of the bus.  
  
"Hold on. It's either a wheelchair or a stretcher. You decide."  
  
*****  
  
Rylee and Bosco were ushered into the same exam room. The entire time the doctor was examining Rylee her attention was on Bosco.  
  
The doctor had him take off his shirt so he could listen to Bosco's lungs. Bosco just stared off into the distance. When the doctor was through he had Bosco lay down as he continued to breathe through the oxygen mask. It didn't take long and Bosco was asleep again.  
  
When Rylee's doctor was finished O'Neill went to stand beside her sleeping partner. He looked so calm. So peaceful. Dr. Thomas came back into the room. "Hi. I'm Dr. Thomas." He extended his hand.  
  
"Rylee O'Neill. Bosco's partner."  
  
"What happened to Faith?"  
  
"She's a sergeant now," Rylee looked down at Bosco. "Is he OK?"  
  
"Yeah. He's fine, but I'm going to hook him up to a heart monitor just to make sure. Sully and Doc thought he might have---"  
  
She nodded. "Yeah, he did."  
  
"I just want to rule out anything cardiac."  
  
"Why's he so tired all of a sudden?"  
  
"When he has a panic attack not only is it difficult for him to breathe, but his heart races at an alarming rate. It wears him down. It's nothing to be concerned about. He'll be fine after he has time to rest."  
  
"You want me to wake him?"  
  
"No. Definitely not," he grinned. "I'm pretty sure he wouldn't be real thrilled if he knew I was hooking him up to the monitor. Officer O'Neill you should have a seat. I hear you took a pretty good knock to the head."  
  
Rylee touched the bandage on her head. "Yeah."  
  
Forty minutes later Bosco woke up. He looked around, and found Rylee by his side. "Ry? What's going on?" He looked at his chest. "Why am I hooked up to this?"  
  
"Dr. Thomas just wanted to make sure your heart was OK."  
  
"My heart? Why? I thought I was brought in for smoke inhalation."  
  
"Well, you had a---"  
  
"I know," he said softly.  
  
"He just wanted to make sure you were all right."  
  
Dr. Thomas entered the room. "How you feeling Bosco?"  
  
"Fine, but tell me something. Are you gonna hook me up to this damn thing every time I come in here?!"  
  
"Look, it was just a precaution. Besides you were gonna be here for a while anyway so we figured it wouldn't hurt."  
  
"Will you unhook me now?"  
  
"Yeah, then you two are free to go."  
  
*****  
  
It was 2 a.m. by the time Rylee and Bosco were ready to leave the station house and head home. They had been at the hospital for a couple hours, and had decided to finish up some paperwork at the precinct before calling it a night.  
  
The two officers walked outside into the cool early morning air. "How's your head?"  
  
"Pounding."  
  
"You got a concussion?"  
  
"Mild one. It could be worse. How you feeling?"  
  
"Fine," he nodded quickly.  
  
Rylee stopped and looked at him. "I'm sorry Bosco."  
  
He met her eyes. "Sorry for what?"  
  
"I didn't think out there tonight. I acted on instinct and ran into that fire without thinking how it would affect you," she shook her head in disgust. "You followed me into that building and it caused you to have an attack. What if something had gone wrong? It would have been my fault."  
  
"Nothing went wrong. Everything turned out fine, and even if it hadn't it wouldn't have been your fault."  
  
"Yes it would have! You followed me, and being in that building triggered it," she looked down at the ground. "I saw the look in your eyes. I saw the panic, the fear. And it scared me because I knew that it was my fault. I put you in that situation," she whispered.  
  
"It started before I went in the building."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It started outside. I knew it was happening."  
  
"And you still went inside? Why?"  
  
"You're my partner. I follow you no matter what."  
  
"But Bosco---"  
  
"Look you needed your partner, so I was there. Maybe not completely," he chuckled, "but I was there. Besides it wasn't near as bad as the first one I had."  
  
They continued toward their cars. "Ry."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For getting me through it. Your voice interrupted the visions long enough to get me outta there. I owe you."  
  
"Hey, that's what partners are for." She slapped him on the back. "Catch you tomorrow."  
  
*****  
  
Lieutenant Swersky was standing at the front of the room addressing the officers. "Boscorelli. O'Neill. You'll be riding desks today."  
  
Their heads shot up and they quickly looked at each other. "What?" asked Bosco. "Why?" asked O'Neill.  
  
"Hang back, and we'll discuss it further. Everyone else have a good tour."  
  
Bosco and Rylee just sat looking at each other. They were dumbfounded. Bosco looked at Swersky and Faith. "We didn't do anything wrong this time."  
  
"Yeah. I swear," added Rylee. "We didn't do anything."  
  
Swersky put his hands up. "Don't worry. We know you didn't do anything *this time*. O'Neill come with me to my office. Boscorelli you stay here and talk to Sergeant Yokas." He headed for his office.  
  
Rylee looked at Bosco. "What the hell is going on?"  
  
"Wish I knew."  
  
*****  
  
O'Neill entered Swersky's office. He was sitting down at his desk. "What's going on boss?"  
  
He pointed to a chair. "Have a seat."  
  
She took a deep breath, and sat down.  
  
"I hear you and Boscorelli rushed into a burning building and saved a couple lives. That true?"  
  
"Y-yes sir."  
  
"Why didn't you wait for FDNY?"  
  
"There wasn't time. I just reacted Lieu."  
  
"How 'bout Boscorelli?"  
  
"I went in first. He followed me."  
  
"How'd he do?"  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"How did he handle the situation?"  
  
"He, uh, he did fine," she said nervously. She didn't know where he was going with this, and was afraid to say something wrong.  
  
Swersky's eyes narrowed.  
  
Rylee leaned forward, and rested her elbows on her knees. "What exactly do you want to know sir?"  
  
"This was his first real test since he's been back on duty. Did he have a panic attack?"  
  
"Yes sir," she said softly as she looked down at her hands. She looked back up at him. "But he got through it, and he performed his duties. Bosco did a great job. He saved that little girl."  
  
Swersky nodded.  
  
"Does this have anything to do with why we're riding desks today?"  
  
"No. You're riding a desk because you suffered a concussion last night. Nice bruise by the way."  
  
"Well, what about Bosco?"  
  
"Ask him. Check in with Kowalski at the desk for your assignment."  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
*****  
  
"What's this about Faith?" he asked from where he sat.  
  
"I hear you and Rylee had a pretty exciting end to your shift last night. Capped off by a few hours in the ER." She replied as she sat down on the table in the front of the room.  
  
"Yeah. Smoke inhalation. No big deal."  
  
"Is that it?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Anything you want to tell me? You can talk to me you know." She wore a determined look on her face.  
  
"OK, so I had another one. No big thing. I got through it. I'm OK."  
  
"You sure you're OK?" She walked over, and sat by him.  
  
"Yeah Faith. Trust me," he looked at her. "Is this why I'm stuck at a desk today?"  
  
She shook her head. "No."  
  
"Then why?"  
  
Faith stood back up, and walked back to the front of the room. "You're counselor called today."  
  
Bosco gulped. "He did?"  
  
"Yeah. Said you never showed up this morning."  
  
"I was tired Faith. Last night took a lot out of me. It was after 3 a.m. when I got home. I needed to sleep."  
  
"He also said you've missed your last four sessions."  
  
He shrugged.  
  
"Mandatory counseling Bosco. You don't go, you don't work."  
  
"It's just a couple of appointments."  
  
"Four Bosco! Now what's going on?"  
  
Bosco looked at her then looked down at the floor. Faith came back over and sat by him.  
  
"Talk to me Bos. Tell me what's going on."  
  
Bosco looked at her again. He could see the concern in her eyes, but he felt dumb. How could he tell her this? Bosco stood up, and started walking around the room. He stopped. "I can't talk to him," he said quietly.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
Bosco crossed his arms, and leaned against the wall. He really didn't want to tell her. He felt dumb enough having to see a counselor, but this…this made him feel so weak. He looked at her. She could read his expression. "It's me Bosco. You don't have to be embarrassed."  
  
"He makes me feel so small. He pushes me to talk about stuff I'm not ready to talk about," Bosco ran a hand over his face. "I can't…I can't," he stopped.  
  
"You can't what?"  
  
"Sometimes, sometimes the stuff he makes me talk about…it uh, it…Faith I can't."  
  
Faith went over to Bosco, and put her hands on his shoulders. "Bosco you can tell me. It's OK."  
  
He looked at her. Then looked at the floor. "Remember the night I got suspended? When I came to your apartment?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"I cried."  
  
"I know Bos, and that's OK," she said softly.  
  
"But I knew you wouldn't think of me any differently. This guy, this guy…I don't know. It's just that sometimes I have so much bottled up inside," he looked into Faith's eyes. "I can't around him."  
  
"Why didn't you say something before?"  
  
"Come on Faith. I feel stupid enough as it is," he told her as he looked away from her, and shifted his weight nervously.  
  
"Bosco there is no reason for you to feel stupid about this."  
  
"But I do," he said in a small voice. "Faith, I know I need help. It's just hard."  
  
Faith felt so bad for him. For him to admit that he needed help told her that he had already come a long way. She didn't want this to be a setback. She pulled him into a hug, and rubbed his back. He didn't pull away from her. It felt good to be in the arms of someone who cared about him. Hell, it had been along time since anyone had given him a hug. "How 'bout I find someone else for you to talk to?"  
  
"OK. Do I still have to do desk duty?"  
  
She pulled away from him, and smiled. "Yup. Nice try though." 


	7. Part 7

Promises  
  
Part 7  
  
*****  
  
Just wanted to say thanks to all of you who are still reading my stuff! Much appreciated!  
  
A little 10-code info: 10-20=past robbery and when Dispatch says "Go Silent" it means no lights no siren (at least that's what dispatch in my neck of the woods says).  
  
Oh, and remember I know nothing about the streets or directions in NYC (good thing this is fiction!) And isn't it amazing how everything seems to be right around the corner from either the precinct or their apartments :o)  
  
*****  
  
Bosco and Rylee sat at their respective desks, and worked on the mundane paperwork they were assigned for the day.  
  
"Man, paperwork sucks," complained Rylee.  
  
"Tell me about it. You know, there's a reason I became a cop, and it wasn't cause I wanted to be a pencil pusher." Bosco looked at his watch. "Damn, it's almost eight. Whaddya say we go get some grub? I'm starving."  
  
"Sounds good to me," she said as she stood up. "Anything to get me away from this hard wooden chair. I've got bleacher butt, and I'm not even at a ballgame."  
  
"Is it alright with you if I see if Faith wants to come with?"  
  
"No problem. Gotta be weird. You two not spending shifts together anymore. How long you say you'd worked together? Five years?"  
  
"Yeah. It is weird. I get nervous around her now," he shook his head. "It's hard to explain."  
  
"I can only imagine. Go find her. I'll wait outside."  
  
Bosco found Faith in the command office. He knocked on the open door. "You busy sarge?"  
  
She turned around to find him smiling at her. "Not really. What's up?"  
  
He hooked his thumb over his shoulder. "Rylee and I were on our way to get some dinner. Wondered if you wanted to join us?"  
  
"You sure you two want to have dinner with a superior officer?"  
  
"Gee Faith. I know you out rank us, but I don't know if I'd say you're a 'superior' officer." He grinned. She knew she set herself up for that one. "Come on Yokas. You know I wouldn't ask you to join us if I didn't want you to. It's only been a few days, and I can see you're already forgetting some of my finer qualities."  
  
"No, trust me. Your 'finer' qualities aren't that easy to forget," she walked over to him, and grinned. "Believe me, I've tried." She walked past him, and started down the hallway.  
  
"Hey! What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he called after her.  
  
The three officers made their way to the pizza joint that was just around the corner from the precinct. After placing their orders they sat in a booth by the window. Bosco and Faith sitting together on one side; Rylee alone on the other.  
  
Yokas and Boscorelli started talking to each other about things that only partners would know. Rylee suddenly began to feel like the odd man out. As she listened to their conversation she looked around the restaurant finding signs to read, and other things to hold her attention. She hadn't realized how difficult this situation would be. Here she was sitting with her new partner, and his former partner; and she felt like she was intruding. "Oh well," she thought. "Don't know what I was expecting. They were partners for years, and they've been through a lot together. No big deal."  
  
Rylee laid her head back on the booth, looked up at the ceiling and let out a sigh. "You OK?" She didn't answer. "Ry, something wrong?" Bosco asked.  
  
She lifted her head, and met his gaze. "Huh?"  
  
"You feelin' OK?"  
  
"Oh, uh, just a headache," she rubbed her forehead. Her head had been pounding all day, and though she would never say it out loud she was actually glad she was on desk duty today.  
  
"That's quite a bruise," said Faith. "How exactly did that happen?"  
  
Rylee grinned. "I lost a fight with the sidewalk last night."  
  
"At the fire?"  
  
"Yeah. Just as we got to the door there was an explosion; sent us flying. My head made solid contact with the pavement."  
  
"Ouch." Faith turned to Bosco.  
  
"What?" He knew she was going to ask if he was all right. Faith hadn't known all the details of what happened at the fire. He knew she would just worry if she knew everything that happened. It was bad enough that everyone knew he had another panic attack. She didn't need to hear about the explosion and being thrown to the pavement.  
  
Faith started to say something, but was interrupted by the waitress who began setting plates of food in front of them. Rylee took this time to turn the conversation away from the fire. "So, Faith. How's life as a sergeant?"  
  
"It's different that's for sure. It hasn't been all that long, but I already miss being out on patrol." She turned to Bosco who wore a somber expression. Faith nodded toward him, "But this guy. I don't miss his bitching and moaning one bit." She smiled.  
  
"Hey now," he smiled back. "I'll have you know that O'Neill here has taken over the bitching and moaning responsibilities."  
  
"Excuse me?" asked Rylee.  
  
"Oh you were in rare form yesterday. You shoulda heard her Faith." Bosco continued in a whiny voice. "'We've only had two calls in six hours. Great. We get to direct traffic for the bucket boys'." The three officers laughed.  
  
"Hey, I was bored," claimed O'Neill as she tried to defend herself.  
  
They finished their dinner, and began the walk back to the station house. "So Bosco, tomorrow's your birthday. You still coming to our place after work like always?"  
  
"Your birthday is tomorrow?" Rylee looked at Bosco. "Why didn't you say anything?"  
  
"I didn't say anything cause it doesn't matter. We aren't doing anything for my birthday."  
  
"You say that every year Bosco, and every year we do something."  
  
"Not this year Faith. I mean it."  
  
They stopped outside the precinct. "Why not?" questioned Rylee.  
  
"I don't know," he sighed. "Just doesn't seem right this year. Ya know…" Bosco climbed the stairs, and headed inside.  
  
Faith and Rylee watched him walk away, and then turned toward each other. "What did he mean by that?"  
  
"I think I know," said Faith. "I'll talk to him. You just plan on coming over to my place tomorrow night. My kids are going to make him a cake." Faith smiled. "He's never been able to say no to my kids."  
  
Faith searched the precinct, and found Bosco in the locker room. He was sitting in front of his locker. Elbows on his knees, chin in his hands; staring at the floor. "Hey Bos," she called as she rounded the lockers.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"What's going on with you? You were in a pretty good mood at dinner. What changed?"  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Bosco. What did you mean by it doesn't seem right? Tomorrow is your birthday. We celebrate it together every year. What's so different this year?"  
  
He sat up, and picked an imaginary piece of lint off his sleeve. "It's just not right Faith."  
  
"What's not right?"  
  
"Celebrating another year of my life when so many people I know are…Faith I just don't feel right about it."  
  
Faith sat down on the bench next to her best friend. "Bos, we can't change what happened. It's been a rough eight months," She looked at him. "Trust me I know how you feel, but you can't let that stop you from doing the things you've always done. Look at me." He turned his head toward her. "I want you to know something---"  
  
"Faith—"  
  
"I understand what you are saying Bosco, but *I* want to celebrate your birthday. It's important to me Bosco. Besides the kids really want to bake a cake for you."  
  
His face lit up. "They do?"  
  
She nodded. "They haven't seen you in a while. They miss you. Can you believe that?" she joked.  
  
"I don't want it to be a big deal though."  
  
"Just me, you, Rylee, Fred and the kids. That's it. Just a little cake and ice cream. No big deal."  
  
"What? No presents."  
  
She snorted. "So, you'll be there?"  
  
"Yeah. I'll be there."  
  
"OK. Now get your ass back out to that desk."  
  
He groaned. "Fine." He stood up to leave. "Slave driver," he said under his breath as he walked passed her and gave her a nudge.  
  
"You better watch yourself Boscorelli. I have the authority to put you on a desk again tomorrow."  
  
"You wouldn't"  
  
"Oh, I would."  
  
*****  
  
Bosco sat on the couch, his arms crossed over his chest. He read the titles of some of the books on the shelves around the large office. "A bunch of psycho-babble bull shit," he thought to himself. "Damn. I was just starting to feel somewhat comfortable around that quack O'Malley. Now I gotta try and get used to this chick."  
  
"What a priss," he thought as he looked at his new therapist. She sat with perfect posture in her chair. Wearing a perfectly pressed business suit. Her hair was pulled tightly into a perfect bun, and she wore wire-rimmed glasses. "Sure looks like she's got a stick up her ass."  
  
He looked at his watch. It was 9:30 a.m. His session was half over, and all they had accomplished was reviewing the "notes" O'Malley had sent over. That took all of five minutes. The rest of the time they had been sitting in silence.  
  
Bosco looked at his watch again. 9:30 and twenty seconds. He puffed up his cheeks then loudly exhaled. Her expression never changed. Bosco rolled his eyes, and uncrossed his arms. "So are you gonna ask me somethin' or we just gonna sit here?"  
  
"I prefer to let my patients initiate the session."  
  
He cringed at the word "patient". "Prude," he thought. He leaned forward. "Hate to break it to ya, but I don't talk just for the hell of it."  
  
"Well, where would you like to start?"  
  
He shook his head. "Isn't it your job to figure that out?"  
  
She lifted her glasses off her nose and peered down at her notes. "Let's start with September 11th."  
  
He shook his head. "No, no I already talked to O'Malley about that."  
  
"Yes, but to fully understand your case I need you to start from the beginning, and from what Mr. O'Malley concluded your Post Traumatic Stress Disorder started in relation to 9/11."  
  
Bosco took a deep breath. "Fine. I spent the night with some girl. I was leaving that morning. Heard the first plane roar by, so I ran down there." He looked up at her quickly to see if she was paying attention. He saw her scribbling notes so he continued. The rest of his words came like rapid fire. "I got there as the second plane hit. Saw people jumping. People falling. I couldn't do anything to help. Then there was this rumble. I ran. This cloud overtook me, but I kept running. Finally I stopped. Then I just sat where I was for a while before going back to help." Bosco wiped the sweat from his forehead. No matter how many times he thought of that day he still got choked up. The faster he told the story the easier it was on him. "Phew," he thought, "I made it through it that time." He looked at the therapist waiting for her to dig a little deeper; ask a question.  
  
When she finished scribbling notes she looked and Bosco, and used her index finger to push her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "From what you've just told me, and the notes from your previous counselor; I'm guessing you're going through what is called survivor's guilt."  
  
Bosco nodded quickly, and looked away. He did a double take when his brain caught up to her words. He stared at her, and put his hand up. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on. Did you just say 'I'm guessing'?" He emphasized the words "You're guessing."  
  
He stood up and headed for the door. "Mr. Boscorelli our session isn't over yet!"  
  
"Yes it is," he said firmly then slammed the door on his way out.  
  
When he got to the parking lot he pulled out his cell phone.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Faith. Can I come over?"  
  
"Bosco?" She looked at the clock on the wall. "Aren't you supposed to be—"  
  
"Can I come over or not?"  
  
"Um, yeah, sure."  
  
"Thanks," he hung up.  
  
"Wonder what's going on." Faith said to the empty room.  
  
Ten minutes later there was a soft knock on her door. "Showtime," she thought. She opened the door to find a fidgeting Bosco standing in the hall." "Hi."  
  
He looked at her. "I know I left my session early, but I had to. Please Faith, don't tell Swersky. I mean, I went. It's just this lady, she—"  
  
"Bosco slow down. Breathe. Come inside and explain what's going on."  
  
He followed her into the apartment.  
  
"You want something to drink?" He shook his head no.  
  
Faith sat down on the couch, and put her feet on the coffee table. Bosco stood in front of the chair shifting his weight from foot to foot with his hands jammed into the pockets of his jeans. "So what's going on Bosco?"  
  
"This lady. This therapist. She asked me about 9/11, so I told her. You know, the quick and dirty version cause I really didn't feel like pouring my soul out to her in the first session." He ran a hand through his hair. "So after I tell her she says, and I quote, 'I'm guessing you're going through survivor's guilt'." Bosco looked at Faith anxiously. "Guessing Faith. She said she was guessing!"  
  
"I'm sure she didn't mean it that way Bos."  
  
"God Faith. I'm so unsure of myself these days as it is. I don't need my shrink telling me she's guessing!"  
  
"Ok Bosco, OK. Just calm down. We'll figure this out."  
  
"If that's how its gonna be then I think I'd be more comfortable going back to O'Malley. He's gruff, but he knows what he's doing."  
  
"We need to figure out what's best for you Bosco. Don't go back to O'Malley if you're just going to bottle up your feelings. That's what got you into this in the first place."  
  
Bosco nodded, and started pacing the length of the coffee table. Faith watched him for a few seconds. "Bosco would you sit down? Stop pacing."  
  
"I can't."  
  
"Why not?" She asked a little confused.  
  
He looked at her then quickly looked away.  
  
"What is it Bosco?" she asked softly.  
  
He turned away from her completely. "I'm nervous," came his quiet mumbled reply.  
  
"Nervous? About what? Why?"  
  
Bosco slowly faced her. He didn't have to say a word. Faith read his expression. "Do I make you nervous?"  
  
He looked down at the floor.  
  
"Bosco?"  
  
"K-kinda. I guess," he said in a whisper. "I mean. We aren't partners anymore. You're my sergeant. I guess I don't really know how to act. Or where the line is. Dammit Faith I don't even know if I should be coming to you about this."  
  
"Bosco. It's just me, Faith. Don't act any differently around me. Just be you. Trust me like you always have. When it's a professional situation be professional. Otherwise it's just me and you like we were before."  
  
"It's weird though. 'Cuz of Rylee. I don't want to leave either of you out. I don't want to hurt either of you by talking more to the other or anything like that." He finally went over and plopped himself down in the chair.  
  
"I knew going into this that you'd get a new partner Bosco. I knew that the two of you would form a special bond, but I also know the bond we have is special, and that it will never be broken," she paused. "Remember? I promised."  
  
"Yeah I remember. It's just with everything that's been going on. I guess I feel bad cause I haven't really let Rylee in."  
  
"Bos you haven't even known her a week."  
  
"I know, but when you and I started working together we clicked right away."  
  
"What are you talking about? No we didn't."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Bosco we fought for almost a year and a half before we really started to get along. Yeah, we clicked when it came to the job, but I thought you were a total ass and you thought I was---"  
  
"A nosy overprotective mom," he finished for her. He chuckled. "OK. You're right."  
  
"Of course I am," she smiled. "Just give it time. I see good things ahead for you and Rylee."  
  
Bosco raised an eyebrow. "What, you got a little 'Miss Cleo' business going on the side?"  
  
"Shut up. I'm just saying you and Rylee can really make a great team. The way you handled that fire the other day showed everyone what you're both capable of. You two are a lot alike."  
  
"I'm not really that much of a loud-mouth glory hog am I? That's what I've heard some of the guys saying about her."  
  
She looked at him with a straight face. "You want the truth?"  
  
"Damn, no wonder Sully keeps bitching about having two Boscorellis. Am I really that bad?"  
  
"When you're in your element…you're worse."  
  
"Oh man," Bosco slapped his hand to his forehead. Faith just laughed at him. Bosco laughed too, but then turned serious. "Faith."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"As nervous as I was about coming here today. I'm glad I did. I mean I have to talk to these counselors about my feelings, but they don't really care. So it's hard to really let it out." He gave her a grin. "But talking to you…well, thanks."  
  
She smiled at him. "Any time Bosco."  
  
*****  
  
By the time he left Faith's he was surer of their relationship. He always knew they had a good one, but it was awkward not being her partner anymore. Earlier he wasn't sure exactly where his place was in her life, but now he knew. Bosco was finally starting to understand, and believe Faith when she said he could tell her anything and she'd be there for him. Not too long ago his world was falling apart, and he had made the right decision when he confided in Faith. It had been a long time since he had been happy, and as each day passed he felt a little better. A little more "normal".  
  
As Bosco stepped out of the shower he heard his phone ringing. He wrapped a towel around his waist, and hustled into the living room to answer the phone. "Yeah."  
  
"Bosco. It's Rylee."  
  
"Hey what's up?"  
  
"How 'bout I pick you up for work today? Then we could head over to Faith's together after the shift."  
  
"Yeah. OK," said a still dripping wet Bosco.  
  
After he got dressed and gathered his things Bosco sat down on the couch. Rylee was due in about five minutes. He grabbed the remote to turn off his stereo, and then remembered the batteries had gone dead the other day. He figured now was as good a time as any to replace them, so he went into the kitchen.  
  
He opened the junk drawer, and started fishing around trying to find the AA batteries that he knew were in there somewhere. As he moved stuff around something feel to the floor. He bent down to pick it up. It was the picture of him and Dom. Bosco stared at the picture. He forgot all about looking for the batteries, and went back to sit on the couch.  
  
Bosco smiled as he thought about all the good times he and Dom had together in the short couple of years they knew each other. She had been a big part of his life. Someone who was always there; through the good and bad times. Just like Faith.  
  
It was two years ago tonight that he had gone to meet her at the playground. But she never showed up. He was mad at her for not being there; for breaking their promise. Even though he was hurt by it, deep down he hoped that the reason she didn't come that night was because she had moved on to a better life. A life without all the pain, sorrow and fear. Maybe she had succeeded in forgetting about that time in her life. If that was the reason she wasn't there; then he forgave her for breaking the promise.  
  
A knock at the door startled Bosco out of his thoughts. He grabbed his bag, put the picture on the table, quickly went over to turn off the stereo, and then answered the door. She greeted him with a grin. "Happy Birthday."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Ready to roll?"  
  
"You bet."  
  
*****  
  
"ALL AVAILABLE UNITS. SUSPECT IN 10-20 SEEN ON THE CORNER OF 115TH AND WEBSTER. SUSPECT IS MALE CAUCASIAN, 6'1", 240, WEARING BLUE JEANS, GRAY YANKEES SWEATSHIRT, AND A BLACK METS CAP. GO SILENT."  
  
"5-5 David. 10-4" responded Rylee.  
  
"A Yankees sweatshirt and a Mets cap? What a pinhead! He deserves to be shot."  
  
"You a Mets or Yankees fan?"  
  
"Mets. Definitely. Yankees are just a bunch of overpaid whining babies. And Steinbrenner," Bosco shook his head. "Don't even get me started on him!"  
  
Rylee pointed. "That our guy?"  
  
"Sure looks like it." They were a block away. "Let me out."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Soon as he sees us he's gonna bolt. Let me out."  
  
"Bosco you sure---"  
  
He glared at her. "Let me out," he said firmly.  
  
She pulled over, and he hopped out of the car. Bosco pointed to where they came from. "Swing back around here. When he takes off he's probably going to head for the apartments between 116 and 117. So head over that way." He shut the door and hurried toward the suspect.  
  
Rylee checked traffic and made a quick u-turn. "Central this is 5-5 David. 10-20 suspect in sight. My partner is approaching him on foot, and I'm heading to 117th and Webster to intercept."  
  
"10-4 5-5 DAVID. 5-5 CHARLIE DO YOU COPY?"  
  
"5-5 Charlie. 10-4," came Ty's voice. "We're six blocks away."  
  
Bosco was about ten feet from the guy before he noticed the cop approaching. Just like Bosco predicted the suspect took off. "We got a rabbit," Bosco yelled into his radio. "Heads up Rylee!"  
  
Rylee jumped out of the squad, and got ready to intercept. She tired to stay around the corner until the last possible second. O'Neill heard them approaching. Bosco was screaming at the guy, so she knew they were close. She stepped around the corner, and as soon as the guy saw her he ducked into a building.  
  
"Dammit!" she cursed as she started to follow him inside the building. She keyed her radio and spoke quietly. "Suspect is in apartment building. 1171 Webster." She reached down, and turned her radio off. She didn't want it coming to life and alerting this guy as to where she was.  
  
When Bosco reached the building seconds later Rylee was nowhere in sight. "Shit." He quickly looked around. 5-5 Charlie was nowhere to be found. He made his way into the building.  
  
"Where the hell is she?" he thought. He kept his ears open, and moved deeper into the building as quickly and quietly as he could. He approached a junction in the hall. He took a deep breath, and poked his head around the corner looking left then right like a child getting ready to cross the street. He didn't see anyone so he kept going forward.  
  
Rylee had no idea where Bosco was. She hoped he was behind her, and that he would catch up to her soon. It was a hell of a lot easier clearing a building as a team. She advanced carefully, her gun drawn. Then she saw an apartment door wide open. She glanced to the large exit door at the end of the hall. "If he had shut a door behind him I would have heard. He's gotta be in here," she thought.  
  
She pressed herself against the wall moving ever so cautiously toward the apartment. Rylee closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and counted to three before bursting through the open doorway her gun leading the way.  
  
The room was clear. She approached what looked to be a bedroom. Halfway through the bedroom entrance the perp put all his weight into it and slammed the door on her; knocking the gun out of her hand. She lost her balance and stumbled as she went to retrieve her gun, but he beat her to it.  
  
O'Neill wasn't prepared for him to backhand her with the hand he now held the gun in. He connected with her face that was still sore from the losing battle with the sidewalk a couple nights before. "Oww! BOSCO!" She fell to the floor.  
  
Bosco heard her yell his name, and raced in the direction it came from. BANG! BANG! Boscorelli froze. "Oh God." He feared the worst. "10-13! Shots fired! 1171 Webster. North Hallway. 10-13!"  
  
"You shouldn't have done that *cop-er*! I wouldn't have had to shoot you if you'd just stayed put!" Bosco heard the man say as he stood outside the open apartment door. Boscorelli quickly turned off his radio.  
  
"Oh God," Bosco thought.  
  
"I wasn't real comfortable sitting on the floor," came her smart-ass reply.  
  
Relief washed over Bosco when he heard the voice of his partner. She was OK. He figured Rylee was in the main room because her voice sounded very close. He carefully peeked around the corner, and saw Rylee lying on the floor propped up on an elbow. Her other arm wrapped around her torso.  
  
The perp was to Bosco's left about six feet away from Rylee, and was holding a gun on her. "Here goes nothing," he thought.  
  
Bosco burst through the open door. "POLICE FREEZE!"  
  
The guy turned his gun on Bosco. Rylee watched the perp. "Don't even think about it," Bosco snarled. "Put the gun down." The guy was getting nervous. He turned back to Rylee. "I SAID PUT IT DOWN!" shouted Bosco. The perp turned back to Bosco. Rylee took the opportunity to quickly grab her spare gun.  
  
"I believe my partner said to put the gun down." The guy turned toward her. "Don't be stupid. Even if you do manage to kill one of us; the other is going to finish you off," she stated calmly.  
  
"Bitch!" He aimed the gun at Rylee.  
  
The scene played out in slow motion for Bosco. He saw the look on the man's face. Saw the muscles in his forearm flex. Bosco pulled the trigger.  
  
The bullet hit the perp in the arm causing the gray fabric of his sweatshirt to turn red. He dropped the gun, and fell to the floor howling in pain. Bosco went over and kicked the gun toward Rylee. He then handcuffed the man to the pipes of the radiator. "I told you not to think about it! Now, if I so much as hear a peep out of you I'll shoot you again!"  
  
He went to his partner. "You OK? Where'd you get hit?"  
  
She winced as she slowly stood up. "Right in the ribs." Rylee slowly shuffled over to a chair, and sat down.  
  
Bosco turned his radio back on. "Central this is 5-5 David. We have apprehended the suspect. We're going to need EMS at this location."  
  
"10-4 5-5 DAVID."  
  
"5-5 Charlie to 5-5 David."  
  
"Go ahead Charlie."  
  
"What apartment are you in?"  
  
Bosco looked at the door. "Fifteen."  
  
"10-4"  
  
He walked over to Rylee. "Here, let me help you get your vest off before the medics get here."  
  
"Too late. We're already here," came Alex's voice from behind them. Alex placed her bag next to the chair Rylee was sitting in. "Hey, I'm Alex Taylor. You must be Rylee."  
  
"Yeah, how'd you know?"  
  
"Word gets around. So, what happened?"  
  
"Bastard shot me. Hit my vest."  
  
"Having any trouble breathing?"  
  
"No, it just smarts."  
  
"Smarts?" Bosco chuckled.  
  
"Yeah, smarts. Something you don't have a lot of Boscorelli," Sully said as he walked up to the trio.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"How many times you going to try and clear a building by yourself without backup? Hmm?"  
  
"Sully I---," Bosco was flabbergasted.  
  
"Haven't you learned by now not to rush into these situations?!"  
  
"It was me Sully," stated Rylee who was a little taken aback by Sully.  
  
"You?!" Sullivan turned to her. "Standard procedure. When you call for backup you WAIT for backup."  
  
"Sully. Relax man," Ty stepped in. "Everything's OK."  
  
"They got lucky. I don't know what the hell Lieu was thinking partnering up these two!" Sullivan stormed off.  
  
Ty turned to Bosco and Rylee, and shrugged. "Sorry guys," then headed to find his partner.  
  
Boscorelli and O'Neill just looked at each other. "Alex, we should get this guy to the hospital," said Kim from where she was examining the guy Bosco shot.  
  
"Yeah, Bosco can you go find Ty. We need someone to ride in the back with that guy." He nodded and turned to walk away. "Oh, and can you transport your partner to the hospital? She's gonna need some x-rays, and some of the stitches pulled out."  
  
"I'm fine," Rylee said as she stood up.  
  
"Yeah, I'll take her. Be right back."  
  
*****  
  
They walked out of the precinct together. "You want me to drive?" asked Bosco.  
  
"If you don't mind. I'm a little sore, and my head hurts from that bastard doctor's attempt to 'exam for further injury'. I kept telling him there was nothing wrong with me."  
  
"Yeah, no one's ever called him gentle." Bosco grinned.  
  
Rylee handed him the keys to her car.  
  
"Nice wheels," he said as he ran his hand along the trunk.  
  
"Well, it's not a 'stang, but I like it," she said as she climbed into the passenger side of her 2001 Mitsubishi Eclipse. "Hey I was thinking. It's after 11 on a Thursday night, and Faith's kids are still gonna be up. How old are they? Don't they have school tomorrow?"  
  
"Emily is twelve, and Charlie is eight. They don't get to spend a whole lot of time with Faith, so when it's a special occasion Fred and Faith let the kids take the next day off of school."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah, but the catch is the kids have to get all the assignments they are going to miss, and get them done beforehand."  
  
"It's pretty cool that they consider your birthday a special occasion."  
  
He shrugged. "Hell, I just figure the kids didn't want to go to school so they told Faith they wanted to have a party for me." He laughed. "That's what I would do."  
  
*****  
  
Bosco didn't bother to knock he just let himself into the Yokas's apartment. Rylee followed him in. "Bosco! Happy Birthday!" Emily and Charlie yelled as they ran toward him.  
  
"Hey kiddo. You're prettier every time I see you," he said as he gave Emily a quick hug. Charlie went to give Bosco a high five, but Bosco picked him up instead. "Hey champ. Man you're getting huge!" He said as he swung Charlie back and forth.  
  
"Bosco put him down," said Faith from where she sat on the couch.  
  
"Sorry mom." Bosco placed Charlie back on the ground. He nodded. "Hey Fred."  
  
"Hey Bosco."  
  
"Who's that?" asked Charlie pointing at Rylee.  
  
"Charlie mind your manners," said Fred.  
  
"This is my new partner, Rylee."  
  
After they polished off the cake and ice cream, and the kids went to bed; the adults sat around the living room and talked for a little while. Rylee shifted positions in the chair she was sitting in, and winced at the pain in her side. It didn't go unnoticed.  
  
"Ry, you alright? I can take you home if you want."  
  
"No. I'm OK. Just sore."  
  
"What happened?" asked Faith.  
  
"Oh, you didn't hear? I got shot tonight. Hit my vest, bruised a rib. No big thing."  
  
"Sully sure thought it was," stated Bosco.  
  
"Yeah, no kidding. What was up with that?" asked Rylee.  
  
"OK, details," said Faith.  
  
"So you know the robbery suspect?" Faith nodded. "Rylee and I are the first ones there. I chase the guy toward Rylee, and when he sees her he ducks into this apartment building."  
  
Rylee continued from there. "I call for backup, turn off my radio and follow the guy in there. He ran into an apartment and left the door wide open, so I go into the apartment and as I'm heading into one of the rooms the son of a bitch slams the door on me. My gun flew out of my hand. I went to grab it, but he got it first. Then he smacked me."  
  
"Meanwhile I'm now in the building trying to find her and this idiot. Then I hear her yell and then two gunshots. I call in a 10-13, and go to find her."  
  
"Yeah, the guy turned his back on me, so I got up and headed for the door. Unfortunately he turned around. Then he yelled at me, or something, so I turned to face him. He got off two shots. Got me in the vest on the first one. Missed by a mile on the second."  
  
"I get there, and turn off my radio so he doesn't hear me. I tried to get the guy to drop the gun, and when he turned toward me Rylee grabbed her spare. He didn't have a chance, but he went to fire at her again, so I shot him. End of story."  
  
"So, Sully comes in, and goes OFF on Bosco about how he should have waited for backup before rushing into the building. Wouldn't let Bosco say a word. Then when I told him it was me who went in first he goes ballistic on how we got lucky and then he said something about not understanding what Lieu was thinking when he partnered us up."  
  
"Come on you guys. Sully's just concerned," explained Faith.  
  
"Concerned about what?" asked Bosco.  
  
"You know what Bosco." Faith said as she looked at him.  
  
"Damn, I should have known too," said Rylee as she shook her head.  
  
"What do you mean you should have known?" asked a confused Boscorelli.  
  
"Remember my first day, and how I had to apologize to Sully?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well, when you and Ty were outside the diner. Sullivan was waiting for me outside the bathroom. Kinda went off on how I was pushing you too hard…you know, trying to get you to drive the squad even though you weren't supposed to."  
  
Faith gave Rylee her what-the-hell-were-you-thinking look. Which Rylee noticed immediately. "Look, I'm sorry. I just thought that maybe the sooner he got back on the horse the better." Faith was still looking at her. "I was wrong. I'm sorry."  
  
"Faith relax. I didn't drive." Faith turned to Bosco. "You're being the overprotective mom again."  
  
Fred snickered as he listened to this exchange. "Honey he's right."  
  
Bosco's face broke into a smile. "Hey, I was just thinking."  
  
"Is that what the smoke is from?" asked Faith.  
  
"Ha, ha, funny. Ya know, I didn't even realize it until just now, but I made it through that whole thing today without freaking out." His smile got wider.  
  
"That's great Bosco," exclaimed Faith.  
  
"Yeah, you did real good today," said Rylee.  
  
"It's kinda surprising in a way. 'Cause one of the visions I always have is that night that bastard trapped me in the door, and then shot me with my own gun." He shook his head in amazement. "I really think I'm gonna beat this."  
  
"Not a bad birthday gift eh Bosco," smiled Rylee.  
  
*****  
  
Bosco pulled into the parking garage of his apartment. "Its pretty late Ry. Why don't you just crash here tonight? You probably shouldn't be driving anyway."  
  
She yawned. "Yeah that's a good idea. You don't mind?"  
  
"Right, like I'd offer for you to stay here if I didn't want you to."  
  
He unlocked his door, and headed for the linen closet. "You can take my bed. I'll sleep on the couch."  
  
"No I don't wanna put you out. I'll sleep on the couch," she sat down.  
  
"Hello…you got shot today."  
  
"It hit my vest." She noticed the picture sitting on the table, and recognized it as the same one she had seen the first time she had been in his apartment.  
  
Bosco came back into the living room with an arm full of linens and a pillow. Rylee held up the picture. "I see this made it out of the junk drawer. How come?"  
  
"Long story."  
  
"I'm not going anywhere."  
  
"Today's her birthday."  
  
"Really? Same day as yours."  
  
"No, today, the 26th."  
  
Rylee looked at the clock. "Oh, yeah. Must have been pretty cool you two having birthdays back to back."  
  
He smiled when he thought about it. "Yeah, it was. We used to sneak out of our houses just before midnight on the 25th, and meet at this playground we used to hang out at. That way we could celebrate both our birthdays at the same time." His smile turned into a frown.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Come on Bosco."  
  
"You're going to think it's dumb."  
  
"No I won't."  
  
"I've never told anyone this. Hell, Faith doesn't even know about Dom," He sat down at the coffee table, and took the picture from Rylee. "When I was 10 my folks got divorced, and we had to move. The night before I moved Dom and I met at the playground. My mom didn't want me to keep in touch with her because she was afraid my dad would find out. So I went to say goodbye. Dom and I made a promise that on our 30th birthday we'd met at midnight at that playground like we used to." He looked at her. "Pretty dumb huh?"  
  
"No, that's sweet."  
  
"That was two years ago. I went, but she never showed up. I don't know what happened to her. We helped each other through a lot of bad times. I could always count on her to be there."  
  
"You guys were kids. What kinda bad times could you possibly have?" Rylee said with a chuckle.  
  
He thought for a second. He really didn't want to tell her about his childhood. Not yet anyway. "Her dad used to abuse her and her mom."  
  
"Damn."  
  
"I really thought she'd show up."  
  
"Yeah, well, you know what happens to kids from bad families."  
  
"No, what?"  
  
"You're a cop. You see it everyday. Kids from bad homes just turn into adults with problems. Addicts. Murders. Psychos. She probably just turned to the wrong crowd. Got involved in the wrong things."  
  
"Excuse me?!"  
  
"Come on Bosco. You know what I'm saying."  
  
"Not all kids from bad homes turn out like that," he was pissed. How could she say something like that?  
  
"Really? Name one."  
  
"Me."  
  
She looked at him. "What?" she said in a hushed voice.  
  
"Me. I'm not an addict or a murderer or a psycho. My dad used to beat my mom, and when that didn't do it for him he'd turn on me." He was livid. The vein in his forehead protruding.  
  
"Oh God Bos. I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking when I said that."  
  
"You're right. You weren't thinking!"  
  
She leaned back into the couch and covered her face with her hands. "Dammit. Sometimes I just say things and don't think them through. It's like there's no filter between my brain and my mouth." She looked at him with sad eyes. "Bosco I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it. Honest."  
  
He took a deep breath. "You know I became a cop so I could make up for all my mistakes. So I could feel better about myself. Maybe right some wrongs. When I was little I didn't know what to do to help my mom. I remember calling the cops a couple times, but it didn't matter. Mom always lied. Said she fell or something. Then dad would find out I called the cops," Bosco shook his head, "It wasn't good."  
  
"So that's why you're a cop? Because of what happened to you when you were little."  
  
"Yeah, I guess."  
  
"I'm glad you proved me wrong."  
  
He looked at her. "You're right in a lot of cases though. Not all, but a lot." Bosco looked down at the floor. "My little brother's a junkie." He paused, and looked at his partner. Hoping that last statement wouldn't make her think any less of him. He was a cop, and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't even help his own brother.  
  
"Sorry to hear that Bos. It must be rough on you."  
  
"I hope Dom didn't turn out bad."  
  
"You ever tried to find her?"  
  
"Couple times. Searched the police database. Nothing turned up. Her name wasn't even listed in New York."  
  
"Maybe you could hire somebody to track her down."  
  
"I don't have the money. Besides, I like to just think that the reason she broke her promise is because life was kind to her, and she was able to put that period of time out of her memory. I sure tried."  
  
"But you never forgot her."  
  
"No, but maybe she did a better job of forgetting."  
  
"I doubt *anyone* could forget you Bosco," she grinned. He just shook his head as a small smile crept across his lips. 


	8. Part 8

Promises 8  
  
*******  
  
Hey folks. I hope you guys are still reading! I know some of you aren't happy because I split up Bosco and Faith, but you're going to want to read this chapter! I promise, the fans of Bosco and Faith being partners will be happy when this chapter is over! Yes, I'm giving it away…because I want you to read this story :o)  
  
Don't forget to go to www.angelfire.com/ny5/nypdbosco/nomform.html to nominate your favorite TW stories and authors in the FIRST EVER TW FAN FICTION AWARDS!  
  
Oh, a little info for you about some of the "police talk". In my neck of the woods an officer will ask dispatch to "close the main channel" when they are on certain calls. When the main channel is closed only the officers involved with that call can transmit calls over that channel. This way if they are in a critical situation you don't hear some other officer calling in a traffic violation or something. Just a little FYI.  
  
Also, I've tried to pick up the pace of this story to get to the interesting parts :o)  
  
On to the story…oh yeah, I have no medical background and the only characters I own are Rylee O'Neill, Dominique Adams, and Thomas Henderson.  
  
WARNING: I have had a bad couple of days, so I took it out in this story. Some characters will be dropping a few "F-bombs" Sorry if this bad language offends you, but this is a way for me to vent some frustrations.  
  
*****  
  
TWO WEEKS LATER  
  
Rylee glanced at Bosco with concern on her face as she quickly slapped the handcuffs on the rapist. "Davis. Can you take this asshole back to the house?" She looked back toward Bosco. "We'll be there in a little while to do the paper."  
  
"Sure. No problem." Davis ushered the man to the squad.  
  
O'Neill jogged toward Bosco who was halfway down the alley leaning against the building. He was bent over at the waist, and holding his chest. When Rylee reached him he was hyperventilating.  
  
"Stand up Bos. Come on," she helped push his upper body so that he was in a standing position. "That's it. Easy. Breath in and out. Nice and slow." With one hand she gently massaged his shoulder, and with the other hand she pushed the sweat-drenched hair off his forehead.  
  
"I'm…sorry," he said between gasps for air. "I'm…sorry."  
  
"Shhh. It's OK Bosco," she said soothingly. "Just relax. Take your time."  
  
He closed his eyes, and concentrated on his breathing. In through the nose. Out through the mouth. As soon as Bosco was in control again he opened his eyes, and looked at Rylee. "I'm really sorry," he apologized once more.  
  
"No need for that Bosco. You chased the guy right into me. It worked out perfect." He didn't say anything. "Bosco, you OK?"  
  
"Yeah, it's just…damn. I'd been doing so good. Now I'm right back at square one." He was angry with himself.  
  
"Bosco you're overreacting. So you had a panic attack today. Big deal. It's been over two weeks since the last one, but in the beginning they were happening just about every day right?"  
  
"Yeah," he nodded. "Pretty much."  
  
"So things *are* getting better. You aren't at square one." He looked down. Rylee bent down, and looked up at him. "Bosco. Don't do this to yourself," she said firmly. "You've been doing so well with this new therapist, and the techniques she's showed you to help stop these attacks. Don't let one bad day ruin all your hard work."  
  
He looked at his partner and nodded. "I'm OK."  
  
"Alright then. We best get back to the station cause you have paperwork to do."  
  
"Me?! Why me?"  
  
"Cause I don't feel like it, so I've decided it's your turn," she smiled as she walked away.  
  
"Nice try, but I don't think so!"  
  
Rylee parked the RMP, and the two officers headed inside. "I'll meet you in the office. I want to grab something to drink first. You want anything?"  
  
"Water," he replied. Bosco found an unoccupied desk, and started to fill out their report.  
  
"Hey."  
  
He jumped slightly, and looked toward the voice that had startled him. "Hey Faith."  
  
"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." Yokas walked over and sat on the corner of the desk.  
  
Bosco leaned back in the chair. "No biggie."  
  
"You feeling OK? You don't look so good."  
  
"I'm fine. Bad day."  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Bosco sighed. "Those exercises my therapist gave me…you know, the ones to help me control the visions and stuff." She nodded, remembering back to the day he had shared that information with her. "I lost focus today."  
  
"Did you---"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"You sure you're alright?"  
  
"I'm a little tired, but mostly I'm just pissed off. It happened on a foot pursuit. Rylee and I had this rapist in an alley. I chased him toward her, but then it happened and I wasn't there to help her." He shook his head. "I let her down Faith. I lost concentration, and I wasn't there. What if something had gone wrong?"  
  
"Then Sully and Davis would have helped me out," came Rylee's voice from the doorway. Both Faith and Bosco looked at her. Rylee handed Bosco a bottle of water. "We had backup Bosco, so stop beating yourself up. Quit thinking about the 'what ifs'. They don't matter."  
  
Faith agreed. "She's smart Bos. I'd listen to her if I were you."  
  
"What?! You guys double-teaming me now?"  
  
"If that's what it takes," was Faith's reply as she left the office.  
  
Rylee pulled up a chair next to Bosco. "You done with the report yet?"  
  
He glared at her, and she just chuckled.  
  
*****  
  
THE FOLLOWING NIGHT AFTER WORK  
  
"Hey Sarge. Thanks for meeting me."  
  
"Rylee, call me Faith. So, what is this about?"  
  
"Bosco."  
  
"Bosco? Is everything OK?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah. I guess I just have some questions, and I was hoping you could answer them for me."  
  
"I'll do my best. What's on your mind?"  
  
"Well, we've been working together for about three weeks now, and it's been great…" her voice trailed off.  
  
"But."  
  
"But I guess I'm just kinda curious as to what he was like before."  
  
"You mean before the panic attacks started?"  
  
"Yeah. I don't know how to really explain this. I mean, I feel like I know him pretty well for the amount of time we've known each other, but I also feel like I've gotten to know a different Bosco than everyone else knows. He's been pretty open with me. I've seen a lot of emotion from him, but somehow I just feel like it's not really him." She started to peel the label off her bottle of Pepsi. "Does that make any sense?"  
  
"It makes perfect sense, and in a way you are right. You have gotten to know a different side of Bosco, and it's a side that isn't shared with many people."  
  
"So what's his other side like?"  
  
Faith smiled.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Bosco is a hell of a cop. He doesn't take anything from anyone. He's a stubborn, cocky, loud mouthed son of a bitch," she chuckled. "But he mixes all his rage with a hint of the side you've seen of him, and it makes him one of those guys that only a partner can love. Because as a partner you get to see both sides of him."  
  
"Do you think the old Bosco is going to come back?"  
  
"I do. But if he doesn't, this Bosco isn't that bad is he?"  
  
"No," Rylee smiled. "I was just curious."  
  
******  
  
A FEW DAYS LATER  
  
Rylee entered the locker room, and caught the basketball that Bosco threw her direction. She gave him a questioning look. "You play?" he asked her.  
  
"Spent most of my life in Indiana. Of course I play. Why?"  
  
"Tonight's the Camelot Cup."  
  
"Camelot Cup?" She passed the ball back to him.  
  
"Once a year we play FDNY. Winner gets the traveling trophy and bragging rights."  
  
"It's been six years since we've won," said a grumpy Sully.  
  
"This year is gonna be different," said a confident Bosco.  
  
"Oh yeah. How's that?" asked Sully.  
  
"We've got a youth movement."  
  
"A youth movement. You're kidding. Rylee's the only new member of the precinct. That's hardly a youth movement," chuckled Sully.  
  
"Yeah, but if she plays that's one less slow, fat, old geezer on the court." Bosco looked at Rylee. "So, you in?"  
  
"Oh yeah!"  
  
*****  
  
LATER THAT EVENING  
  
Bosco followed Rylee into her apartment. "Make yourself at home. I'll grab my stuff." She headed into her room.  
  
He walked around her small apartment looking at her things. There were a few family pictures hanging on the wall, and a photo of her graduation from the academy. The bookshelf was lined with books about sports and police work. There was sports memorabilia scattered throughout the room. "I didn't know you were such a sports nut."  
  
She came out of the room with her gym bag. "You never asked."  
  
He looked at her. "OK, favorite teams. Baseball, Football, Basketball, and Hockey."  
  
"Braves. Colts. Mavericks. Wild," she rattled off. "You?"  
  
"Mets. Giants. Knicks. Islanders."  
  
She laughed. "You are *so* from New York." Rylee went to the hall closet and retrieved her basketball.  
  
Bosco went to look at her CD collection. "You've got good taste."  
  
"Glad you approve."  
  
"I love this one."  
  
She walked over to him and grabbed the CD he was looking at. "Yeah. Shake Your Money Maker by The Black Crowes. This one's my favorite. I love the acoustic version of 'She Talks to Angels'."  
  
"I'm more of a 'Hard to Handle' and 'Jealous Again' guy."  
  
"Well, if you're done snooping around my apartment we should get back to work."  
  
*****  
  
AT THE GYM  
  
Bosco and Rylee were the first ones in the gym. After Bosco laced up his sneakers he grabbed his basketball and headed for the court. "Hurry up. I wanna see what you got before Fidny gets here."  
  
"What, you afraid I suck or something?"  
  
"No…well, let's just say when Davis was a rookie I made the mistake of assuming he could play cause he's tall. Not necessarily a good assumption, but he's gotten a lot better." Bosco stood dribbling the ball between his legs. "Hurry up!" He said rather impatiently.  
  
"Geez. Don't have a cow," Rylee strode out to him. "What do you want to see 'coach'?"  
  
Bosco tossed her the ball. "Take a couple shots then show me a little ball handling. Oh, and as soon as someone from Fidny shows up try not to show 'em what you've got."  
  
"You take this pretty serious eh?"  
  
"Hell yeah! You have no idea how much it sucks listening to Doherty brag all year!"  
  
Rylee just shook her head, bounced the ball a couple times and then launched a three pointer from the wing with perfect form. SWISH! Nothing but net. She looked at him with a serious expression. "Is it good when it goes in like that?" she joked.  
  
"Yes! Bucket boys are goin' down!"  
  
The two officers alternated shooting as more members from each department filed into the gym. Every time Rylee made a shot the grin on Bosco's face got wider.  
  
Faith walked into the gym, and Bosco jogged over to her. "Yokas this is unbelievable! We've actually got a shot this year," he said excitedly.  
  
She just smiled at him. "Really why do you think that?"  
  
"Rylee! Look at her. She's awesome!"  
  
Faith looked over at Rylee who continued to warm up. "Well Bosco. You know, in a game she might not be as good. I mean, no one's guarding her now. Maybe she'll choke."  
  
Bosco's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "Why you always gotta rain on my parade?"  
  
"Cause that look…it's priceless," she laughed.  
  
Rylee joined them. "You playing sarge?"  
  
"Oh no. I'm just moral support."  
  
"She's my personal cheerleader," kidded Bosco.  
  
"If it isn't the Bobsey twins," came a voice from behind them. They turned around to find Doherty with a smirk on his face. "You know I never realized how much you two look alike. It's frightening."  
  
"We don't look alike," spat Bosco.  
  
"Doherty. Frightening would be if I looked like you," shot back O'Neill.  
  
Carlos approached, and joined in on the banter. "You know, your shorts wouldn't be so long and baggy if you two munchkins would shop in the kiddie department where you belong."  
  
Doherty high-fived him. "Good one Nieto!" They headed toward the bench on the other side of the court. Jimmy pointed at Bosco. "You better watch yourself shrimp man."  
  
"Kiss my ass Doherty." He noticed Rylee smiling. "What?"  
  
"The more they talk trash. The better I play."  
  
"Oh would you two grow up?" groaned Faith.  
  
On the PD's first possession of the game Bosco got the ball to Rylee who faked Kim out of her shoes and nailed a fifteen footer. As Rylee and Bosco jogged down court together he looked at her. "This is gonna be too easy."  
  
It didn't take long for the cops to take a large lead over the fire department. Bosco and Rylee led the way and talked smack the whole game causing play to occasionally get pretty rough. After a while Doherty finally got fed up with seeing Rylee blow by her defender and score, so he decided to guard her himself. On the next play Rylee took him to the hoop and made him look foolish as he tried to block her shot.  
  
Bosco wasted no time. He jogged straight over to Jimmy. "Ouch. Humiliated in front of all your peers. That *can't* be good for the ego."  
  
Jimmy shook his head. "I just got schooled by a girl," he said quietly.  
  
Bosco slapped him on the back and smiled. "That's no girl Doherty. That's my partner."  
  
When the game was over Bosco and Rylee walked outside with Faith. Bosco proudly carrying the Camelot Cup. "Great game you two."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"It's about time we beat those pinheads," said Bosco.  
  
Faith looked at him. His words made her smile. Tonight he was the 'old Bosco'. "Hey Rylee. You remember the guy you were asking about the other night?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"He was there tonight."  
  
Rylee's face broke into a smile.  
  
"Who was there tonight?" asked a confused Bosco.  
  
"Don't worry about it Bos. It's just girl talk," said Faith.  
  
"I hate girl talk," grumbled Bosco.  
  
"Right. Probably because you're a guy," chimed Rylee.  
  
******  
  
THE NEXT DAY  
  
"I'll drive today."  
  
"You what?"  
  
"I got cleared to drive."  
  
"It's about time." She tossed him the keys. "I was getting tired of doing all the work."  
  
"Bite me."  
  
It was a typical day for the partners. They had a few traffic stops, a couple check on welfare of party calls, and of course the normal rousting of scum. In between calls they reminisced about last nights basketball game. With just two hours left in their shift the officers were hoping to lay low and ride out the end of their tour, but of course that wouldn't be the case.  
  
"ALL UNITS OF THE 5-5. MURDER SUSPECT SEEN ENTERING ABANDONDED WAREHOUSE AT 91ST AND WATSON. CONSIDER ARMED AND DANGEROUS."  
  
"Dammit, and I was thinking we might get home early tonight," sighed Rylee. "5-5 David responding. 91st and Watson."  
  
Bosco flipped on the lights and siren, and sped off toward the warehouse. When they arrived at the scene the front of the building was lined with RMPs. They quickly made their way to Sully and Davis.  
  
"What's the situation Sully?" asked Bosco as he took in the scene.  
  
"Our gunman from that subway shooting is in there. We followed him here. He's got at least two guns on him from what we could tell."  
  
"Anybody else in there with him?"  
  
"What O'Neill? You think I have x-ray vision," snapped Sullivan.  
  
"So what's the plan?" asked Bosco.  
  
"We wait," replied Sully.  
  
"Wait?" asked Rylee in disbelief.  
  
"Yes, wait. ESU will be here shortly. They'll clear out the building and we'll take him in."  
  
"We should go in Sullivan. Hell, he may have already found another way out!" exclaimed Rylee.  
  
"I'm the senior officer. It's my call. We wait!"  
  
"That's bull shit!" she fired back.  
  
"Yeah Sully. I'm with Rylee. I say we go get this jag-off."  
  
"No! We wait for ESU! There's no need for you two to go play hero and get yourselves killed. We don't know where he is or if he's even alone."  
  
"Fuck that. I want a piece of this asshole." Rylee ran toward the entrance. Bosco didn't hesitate to follow.  
  
"BOSCORELLI! O'NEILL! GET YOUR ASSES BACK HERE!" Sully was fuming.  
  
"So do we follow them?" asked Davis calmly.  
  
"I don't know." Sullivan grabbed his radio. "Central we need an ETA on ESU!"  
  
"ONE MINUTE."  
  
Sully turned to Davis. "We wait. No need for ESU to have to deal with four officers in the building." He keyed his radio again. "Central this is 5-5 Charlie. We're gonna need you to close the main channel."  
  
"10-4 55 Charlie."  
  
Rylee and Bosco stood just inside the entrance. "Split up or stay together?" whispered Rylee.  
  
"Stay together. I'd feel really bad if I accidentally shot you," he smiled.  
  
"No shit, so would I."  
  
The two officers slowly made their way further into the dimly lit warehouse. The only light was that which was coming through the windows from the streetlights outside. Even though the warehouse hadn't been used in years there were still stacks of boxes, and old machinery scattered throughout the building making for an abundance of hiding places.  
  
They continued deeper into the building. Heads on a swivel as the suspect could be anywhere; behind them, in front of them; or to one side or the other. Rylee saw movement to the right. She pulled Bosco behind a piece of equipment. Her adrenaline was pumping. "He's over there," she whispered as they crouched down. Bosco nodded. "You go around that way. We'll push him to the back corner."  
  
He nodded quickly as he got up and went to take up his new position. Rylee cautiously continued down the path she and Bosco had started on.  
  
Boscorelli could see the guy from his new position behind a stack of boxes. The suspect was slowly making his way toward the back of the warehouse. Probably looking for a way to escape. Bosco looked over to his left to see if he could spot Rylee. She was about twenty feet ahead; parallel with the suspect. Bosco slowly weaved his way around objects as he closed in on the gunman.  
  
Rylee kept pace with the suspect. She wondered where Bosco was as she stopped briefly to look for him. She took her eye off the guy long enough to spot her partner, but it was also long enough for the gunman to spot her as well. He quickly hid.  
  
Bosco stopped abruptly when he saw the man hide. "Oh shit. He made her. Now what?" he asked himself. "I hope she noticed." He continued forward, and kept an eye on where the man was hiding.  
  
O'Neill turned back to the suspect, but he was gone. "Damn Rylee! What were you thinking?!" her mind screamed at her. If she hadn't looked back to find Bosco she would still have this bastard in sight. "Bosco was exactly where he was supposed to be. I should have known that!" she thought. "Dammit!" Rylee slowly crept forward as she tried to locate the suspect again.  
  
BANG! BANG! BANG! Three shots rang out like rapid fire, and echoed in the warehouse.  
  
Her eyes got wide as she heard the unmistakable sound. A bullet impacted with her vest near her shoulder. She tried to take cover, but was too late. Rylee felt a hot, searing pain rip through her right arm. "Fuckin- a" she swore under her breath as she tightly closed her eyes for a fraction of a second, and grabbed her wound. The pain caused her to stagger far enough to the left that the third bullet whizzed by her. The pain was so intense she dropped to her knees.  
  
Bosco heard the shots. He knew where they came from. He rushed forward toward the suspect who had stepped out of his hiding spot not thinking he would run into another officer so soon. "FREEZE! PUT YOUR WEAPON DOWN!"  
  
He turned toward Bosco with his gun ready to fire. Bosco glared at the man. "DROP IT!" The guy just grinned at him. Bosco wasted no time. He pulled the trigger; hitting the man in the chest. ESU was now in the building, and was approaching the man. The gunman looked at Bosco as he gasped for breath. Bosco met his eyes. "Dumb fuck!" He quickly turned.  
  
"RYLEE?!" Bosco made his way to where he had last seen her. He found her sitting on the floor leaning against a pillar. Her eyes were closed tight with pain, and she was holding her arm. He ran to her. "Rylee!" He grabbed his radio. "Get the medics in here now! Officer down!"  
  
There was so much blood he wasn't sure where exactly she was hit. "Ry, let me see." She wouldn't move her hand. "Come on! Let me see!" He could hear the fear in his own voice. Damn he hated this. "Come on Ry. Let me help you," he slowly pulled her hand away. "Aw, damn it," he cursed softly.  
  
Bosco took his jacket off, and placed it on Rylee's upper arm where there was a hole. He firmly pressed on it. "OWW!" Rylee's eyes shot open. "Shit that hurts!"  
  
"Sorry, but you're bleeding pretty bad. You hit anywhere else?" He didn't think she was, but with all the blood he couldn't tell. God he hated blood.  
  
She weakly raised her left hand to her right shoulder. "Think he got my vest."  
  
Bosco quickly checked her vest. The bullet was embedded in the Kevlar. "Yeah. You're gonna be OK."  
  
"BOSCO! Where are you?" called Doc.  
  
"Come straight down the middle! We're against a pillar!"  
  
Doc and Carlos arrived, and Bosco moved out of the way, but didn't take his eyes off his partner. "Anyone else injured?" questioned Carlos.  
  
"Yeah. Bastard who shot her is over there," he pointed, "but he's probably dead by now."  
  
"Doc you got this?"  
  
"Yeah. There's an exit wound. Looks like a clean shot. Through and through."  
  
"Damn it hurts," hissed Rylee as Doc continued to put pressure on the wound.  
  
"I'll get you something for that in a second. Bosco, can you put pressure on this?"  
  
Bosco quickly moved back to Rylee's side, and put pressure on the wound as Doc pulled out a syringe. "Here Rylee this will help with the pain." Bosco thought he was going to be sick at the sight of the needle. He turned away as Doc injected the contents of the syringe into Rylee.  
  
Carlos rejoined the group. "He's dead."  
  
"Good," came Bosco's icy cold reply. Both paramedics looked at him. "What?! The bastard shot two people today! One of them being my partner. You expect me to cry over the guy?!"  
  
******  
  
Bosco stayed at the hospital as they patched up Rylee. Since the bullet didn't do any damage other than putting a hole in her arm they were going to release her. Bosco was surprised to find out she hadn't really lost all that much blood, so there was no need to worry. They even said she could work the next day if she felt up to it, and knowing Rylee she would.  
  
Dr. Thomas came out of the exam room. "She's all yours."  
  
"Thanks." He entered the room.  
  
She was sitting on the exam table looking a little pale. Her right arm was in a sling. Bosco could see the white bandage on her arm peeking out from under her sleeve. There was also an ice pack secured to her shoulder.  
  
"You OK?"  
  
"Well, they stitched me up like a football, and my collar bone is bruised. Guess it could be worse."  
  
"True," he helped her put on her jacket. "Let's get you outta here."  
  
******  
  
When they reached the precinct Rylee headed for the locker room. Bosco went to check on some paperwork. "Boscorelli!" came Swersky's booming voice from his office.  
  
"Yeah boss."  
  
"O'Neill here?"  
  
"She's in the locker room."  
  
"Tell her to come in here."  
  
"Can it wait Lieu? I mean, she got shot, and she's pretty beat. I was just gonna take her home."  
  
"No it can't wait," Swersky said firmly.  
  
"Yes sir," Bosco hustled to the locker room. "Ry. Swersky wants you in his office…he's pissed."  
  
"Great. Just friggin' terrific."  
  
"I'm sure it's no big thing. He's probably just ornery cause he's had a long night."  
  
"Right." She walked to Swersky's office. "You wanted to see me sir."  
  
"Come in. How's the arm?"  
  
"Throbbing."  
  
"Have a seat." She sat down, and he began pacing in front of her. She watched him nervously. "I know you must be pretty tired, so I'll make this quick." He stopped, and faced her. He crossed his arms. "You're suspended for two weeks."  
  
"What?! How come?!"  
  
"You disobeyed a direct order from a senior officer."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Sullivan told you to wait for ESU, and you disobeyed. That's grounds for suspension."  
  
"But Lieu—"  
  
"No buts! You put your life and Boscorelli's life in danger! I can't have you out there playing super cop! You're a loose canon O'Neill!"  
  
"Dammit," she whispered. "What about Bosco?" she asked with concern.  
  
His eyes narrowed. "What about Bosco?"  
  
"You aren't going to suspend him are you? It was me, not him."  
  
"No, he's off the hook because I've been told he followed you, and you're lucky he did!"  
  
"Sir are you sure a suspension is necessary? It won't happen again."  
  
"Two weeks! Unless you want more?!"  
  
"No sir," she shook her head defeated.  
  
"Now get the hell outta my office!"  
  
Rylee was fuming. How could Swersky do this to her? Sure she didn't listen to Sullivan, but Sully was wrong. If they hadn't gone in after this guy he may have gotten away and killed someone else. It was her idea to go in after the guy, and it was her fault she got shot. She knew that, but they got the bastard. That was all that mattered.  
  
"Two weeks. Two whole weeks. Dammit!," she said to herself as she headed back toward the locker room. She was almost to the door when she saw someone she didn't expect to see.  
  
He was leaning against the wall. "Well if it isn't Rylee O'Neill." Rylee tried to ignore him. "So I hear you're up to the same old tricks. Just a different precinct with a different partner."  
  
"Shut up Henderson," she glared at him. Rylee didn't notice that Bosco had come out of the locker room, and was standing in the hall. Nor did she know that Swersky was now in the hallway as well. "What the hell are you doing here?"  
  
"Visiting a friend, and it sure as hell isn't you," he laughed. "So how long before you get this partner shot like you got Johnny shot?"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"Huh Rylee? How long before this Boscorelli guy gets tired of your crap, and getting shot at because you rush into dangerous situations? How long before you drive him to quit long before his time?"  
  
Rylee lunged at him, and hauled off and decked him. She slammed him into the wall. "You son of a bitch! It wasn't my fault!" She hit him again.  
  
"O'NEILL!" bellowed Swersky from where he was standing in the hall.  
  
She slammed Henderson into the wall again. "Stay the hell away from me!"  
  
Bosco rushed up, and pulled Rylee away from Henderson. "Boscorelli! Get her in the locker room, and keep her there! I want a word with her!"  
  
"Ry come on," Bosco tried steering her toward the locker room, but she just stood there glaring at Henderson. "Rylee now!" He roughly maneuvered her into the locker room.  
  
"Let go of me!"  
  
"You gonna calm down?"  
  
"Ow, at least let go of my arm!" She shrugged out of his grasp. She rubbed her injured arm, then looked at her left hand, which she had used to punch Henderson.  
  
"You alright?"  
  
"Fine."  
  
"You've got a hell of a left hook," he laughed. "Glad I wasn't on the receiving end."  
  
"Shut up," she glared at him.  
  
"Who was that creep?"  
  
"Thomas Henderson from the 38th. He was Johnny's partner before I was," she said absently.  
  
"What did he mean about you getting Johnny shot?" Bosco asked quietly.  
  
Her head shot up. "How much did you hear?"  
  
"All of it."  
  
"Forget you heard it! It's not true!"  
  
He put his hands up in defense. "Hey I was just asking."  
  
"Well don't." She sat down on the bench in front of her locker. Swersky would be here any second to chew her out. This was not her night.  
  
The door flew open. "What the hell was that?!"  
  
Rylee looked up to see a furious Swersky coming toward her. "Oh shit," she thought. She looked down at the floor. Bosco stood quietly by his locker.  
  
"We are now adding *mandatory* anger management classes to go along with your two week suspension."  
  
She looked up. "Come on Lieu."  
  
He put his hand up. "If you still want to be a cop I wouldn't push it. You've been here what three weeks? And that's TWICE I've seen you assaulting another cop in the hallway of this station house!"  
  
"Lieu—"  
  
"Not a word! You're lucky I'm not canning your ass!" He started to leave the locker room then turned to Bosco who stood up straighter when Lieu looked at him. "Boscorelli. I just got off the phone with Yokas. She's agreed to work patrol with you."  
  
Swersky left the locker room.  
  
Bosco and Rylee looked at each other. "Well, you get to work with Faith again. At least this works out for one of us," was Rylee's comment before she headed out the door. 


	9. Part 9

Promises  
  
Part 9  
  
*****  
  
If you don't recognize a character then that means they are one of the little demons that came from my mind :o) Otherwise everything else belongs to the big shots at NBC and WB and all those other places!  
  
Hope you are still enjoying this story. I'm going to be taking a short hiatus for the next week or so. I have a HUGE exit exam to take so I can get my masters degree. So I'm thinking I should probably start studying and stop writing fan fiction for the time being! Though if I'm looking for a way to procrastinate I know what to do!  
  
OH! And since this is fiction…there is a short part in this story where a character is making something to eat. Just assume that the stove is like this super fast heating element that boils water in like 2 seconds flat! Hehehe! That's why I love fiction!  
  
*****  
  
Bosco followed Rylee outside. He walked up beside her as she was unlocking her car door.  
  
"What?" she sighed.  
  
He motioned to her arm. "You can't drive like that. Your car is a stick."  
  
She just looked at him. It had been a rough couple of hours, and she was glad that Bosco was there because it was as if her brain had taken a vacation. Bosco read the look on her face, and took the keys from her. "I'll drive."  
  
Rylee walked around the car and got in the passenger's side. Bosco started the car. "Your place or mine?"  
  
"Huh?" she asked in confusion.  
  
"You aren't staying alone tonight. So, are you staying at my place or am I staying at yours?"  
  
"Just drop me off at home. I'll be fine."  
  
"No deal."  
  
"Bosco-"  
  
"No. You were shot, suspended, reprimanded and sentenced to anger management class all in about three hours. I think you beat my record," he grinned. "And from my experience I know that going home to an empty apartment only makes a night like this worse. Besides you don't look so good." He paused. "Your place or mine?"  
  
She sighed heavily. "Mine if that's OK with you." Rylee looked at him.  
  
"Your place it is."  
  
Twenty minutes later they were standing in Rylee's living room. She shrugged off her coat and threw it on the recliner. She then rummaged through her duffle bag looking for the pain pills she was sure she had thrown in there. As soon as she found the pills she headed for the kitchen. Bosco followed her.  
  
"You lost?" she asked when she realized he had followed her.  
  
"No. I just wanted to make sure you're OK."  
  
"My arm just hurts some, but I'm OK." She washed down the pills with water.  
  
Bosco nodded. "I'm hungry. You got any food in these cupboards?"  
  
"I haven't been to the grocery store in a while, but I think there's a box of mac and cheese in there," she pointed to the cabinet to his right. He opened the cupboard, and pulled out the box. "I can make it if you want."  
  
He turned back to face her. "It's macaroni and cheese. I think I can handle it," he smiled.  
  
Rylee hopped up onto the counter where she sat and watched Bosco as he searched the kitchen for what he would need. He put the water on to boil, and then leaned back against the counter across from Rylee. "Wanna talk about it?"  
  
"Talk about what?"  
  
"About what happened tonight."  
  
"Bosco you were there. You know what happened. I got careless and now I've got a hole in my arm."  
  
"I meant what happened when we got back to the house. Why'd Swersky suspend you?"  
  
"For not listening to Sullivan."  
  
"He gave you two weeks for that?!"  
  
"Yup. Disobeying a senior officer."  
  
"Damn," Bosco shook his head. "I can't believe he suspended you for that."  
  
"Yeah, well, he was pretty pissed that I put our lives in danger."  
  
"Our lives?"  
  
She nodded. "Rushing into that building put both of us at risk."  
  
"But I followed you in. *I* put my life in danger. You didn't."  
  
"Whatever. It was my idea."  
  
"But I agreed, and went in. I should have been suspended too."  
  
"What? Are you complaining because you didn't get suspended?"  
  
"No, it's just not fair."  
  
"Life isn't fair Bosco."  
  
"If you got suspended then I should have too."  
  
"Bosco just drop it. There's no need for us to argue about this."  
  
"I'm gonna talk to Swersky. See if I can---"  
  
"Back off Bosco. Otherwise I'm going to have to practice my left hook again."  
  
"Ok. Ok," he laughed. The water was boiling, so Bosco dumped in the macaroni. "So what was with that Henderson guy?"  
  
Rylee set her jaw, and just shook her head. Bosco noticed how her body language changed at the mention of Henderson's name. She went from relaxed to rigid. This just made Bosco even more curious. "Why was he at the station tonight?"  
  
"Said he was visiting a friend."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Beats me. I was floored just hearing he had a friend," she said seriously.  
  
"What was with all that stuff he said to you? What did he mean—"  
  
"Bos I'm all talked out for tonight, Ok?" Her eyes pleaded with him to just leave it alone.  
  
"Yeah, Ok." He paused as he poured the macaroni into the colander. Rylee just looked down at the floor. Bosco returned the pot to the stove, and looked at his partner. "Ry, I just…well, you've been there for me, and, you know…if you need anything—"  
  
She met his eyes and nodded.  
  
*****  
  
Bosco walked into the locker room. Sully and Davis were all ready in full uniform. Both of them were reading a section of the newspaper.  
  
"Hey Bosco," greeted both officers.  
  
"Davis," Bosco nodded and headed for his locker.  
  
"What? You ignoring me today?" asked Sullivan.  
  
Boscorelli glared at Sully through the mesh of the lockers. "I'm sorry. Did you say something? I wasn't listening." Bosco started to pull on his bulletproof vest. Sullivan just shrugged, and went back to his newspaper.  
  
A few minutes later Faith came through the door. "Hey guys," she said cheerfully as she headed toward her old locker.  
  
"Hey Sarge. What are you doing here?" questioned Davis.  
  
"I'm riding with Bosco today."  
  
"Really? Where's O'Neill?" asked Sully.  
  
"Like you don't know," spat Bosco as he slammed his locker and left for roll call.  
  
"What was that about?" asked a curious Ty.  
  
Faith pulled off her jacket. "Rylee got suspended for two weeks."  
  
"Two weeks. What for?"  
  
"For disobeying your orders," stated Faith.  
  
"My orders?"  
  
"Yeah, for not waiting for ESU. Swersky gave her two weeks, and since there was no one available to ride with Bosco here I am."  
  
"Damn Sul. If Bosco's this pissed at you, just imagine what Rylee's thinking." Davis smiled as he patted his partner on the back.  
  
*****  
  
"Are you gonna be like this all day?"  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Grumpy. Ornery. Pissed off. There are a lot of ways to describe it Bosco."  
  
"What are you talking about? I'm not any of those things."  
  
"No? Then how come we've been riding around for half an hour and you haven't said one word?" Faith and Bosco looked at each other. "Or have you changed that much since the last time we rode together?"  
  
"Yeah. I've changed." Bosco pulled over.  
  
"No you haven't. We're friends remember? And I know you haven't turned into the quiet type. So what's going on?"  
  
"Nothing." He quickly shook his head and turned to look out the window. His posture told Faith it was more than nothing. The way he slouched in the seat with his elbow resting on the door and his head on his fist as he gazed outside told her there was a lot more to this.  
  
"Bosco if you don't tell me I'm going to make the next seven and a half hours hell for you." She watched him as he laid his head back on the headrest.  
  
He stared at the ceiling of the car. "I feel guilty."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"About…" He looked at the middle of the steering wheel as if he was studying a piece of fine art. Bosco looked over at Faith. He could see the questions in her eyes. He reached down and started the car. "Ya know what? Never mind. It doesn't matter." He pulled away from the curb.  
  
A short time later they were called to the scene of a robbery. Bosco and Faith approached the frantic victim. "Ma'am. You were robbed?" Faith asked. The woman nodded. "Did you see who robbed you?" The woman nodded again. "Did the person have a weapon?" Once again she nodded.  
  
Bosco stood by impatiently with his hands on his hips as he tapped his foot. Faith looked at him, and he rolled his eyes. He stepped up to the woman. "Can you describe the thief?" She nodded her head. "Tell me what they looked like." The woman nodded her head again. Too terrified to speak. Bosco threw his hands in the air. "Lady! This would go a lot faster if you'd stop nodding your head and start using words!"  
  
"Bosco!"  
  
"Come on Faith! If she doesn't tell us what she saw we aren't going to get anywhere!"  
  
"Go sit in the car. I'll take care of this."  
  
"Good!" Bosco stormed off toward their RMP mumbling as he went.  
  
When Faith finished getting the woman's statement she joined Bosco in the squad. "You haven't changed at all!"  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Just like old times; you were smooth as sandpaper!"  
  
"Come on Faith. She was wasting our time. There's real police work waiting for us."  
  
They didn't have time to argue as another call came over the radio. "Dammit. I hate domestic calls," groaned Bosco as he flipped on the siren, and tore off in the direction of the complaint.  
  
Faith and Bosco could hear the screaming and yelling as they stood outside the small house. Yokas pounded on the door with her nightstick. "POLICE. OPEN UP!"  
  
The fighting continued inside the house. Yokas knocked on the door again as Bosco leaned over the porch railing and peered through a window. "Son of a bitch!" He quickly tried the door to see if it was unlocked. Finding it locked he stepped back and leading with his shoulder threw his body into the door. The heavy door gave a little, and he slammed into it again.  
  
"Bosco what is it? What did you see?"  
  
Boscorelli kicked at the door handle, and the door flew open. He ran into the living room with Faith on his heels. She stopped and gasped at the sight in front of her. There in the room was a man beating his wife while a young girl sat on the couch watching in horror.  
  
"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" yelled Bosco as he charged at the man. Seeing Bosco coming he turned and ran for the back of the house. "DON'T YOU RUN FROM ME!" Bosco tackled him in the kitchen, and quickly rolled the man onto his back. "I TOLD YOU NOT TO RUN YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Bosco hit him twice, and the man whimpered. "HOW'S IT FEEL? HUH? DON'T LIKE IT?!" Bosco hit him again and again. "COME ON! FIGHT ME! TAKE A SWING!" Bosco continued to hit the man oblivious to his partner trying to pull him away.  
  
"BOSCO STOP! STOP!" Faith finally succeeded in pulling Bosco off of him.  
  
Bosco continued to glare at the man on the floor who had curled himself into a ball. Alex and Kim had arrived. Faith moved out of the way as Kim knelt down next to the man. Bosco still stood over him. "Bosco move," said Kim. He took a step back. Kim looked at the man's bloody, battered face. "What happened to him?"  
  
"He got what was coming to him," replied Bosco as he headed outside.  
  
Faith followed him. "Bosco wait." He stopped, took a deep breath, and waited for her to catch up. "What was that?"  
  
"What was what?"  
  
"You just beat the crap out of that guy."  
  
"Yeah, so, he deserved it." He began walking toward the RMP.  
  
Faith grabbed his shoulder and spun him around. "You haven't lost control like that in a long time." He just stared at her. "You've changed Bosco."  
  
"No I haven't Faith! This is who I am remember?! It's been a long time, but this is me! And if you can't handle it maybe you shouldn't have agreed to ride with me!" He walked away from her, and this time she didn't stop him.  
  
Yokas watched as he got into the squad. He placed his hands on the steering wheel, and leaned his head back. She knew he was right. This was the Bosco of old, the "normal" Bosco. But she had gotten used to the sensitive, quiet Bosco of the past few months, and she wasn't ready for that Bosco to disappear.  
  
*****  
  
Rylee sat in her apartment flipping through the channels. Like usual there was nothing good on. "Seventy channels. There has to be something," she said to herself as she once again surfed through the stations.  
  
Finally she turned off the TV, and turned on her computer. After half an hour of responding to e-mails she shut down the computer. "This bites! It's only the first day of my two weeks. How am I going to last?!"  
  
She walked over to the window, and watched the activity on the street below. A squad car drove by, and she longed to be at work. She wondered what kind of calls Bosco and Faith were getting today. Rylee looked at the clock. It was 6:30. Her first anger management class was at 7:15. "Augh this sucks!"  
  
*****  
  
Bosco waited outside the precinct for Faith the next day before the shift. He was sitting on the steps, and stood up as soon as he saw her round the corner. He walked toward her. "Hey."  
  
"Hi," she continued walking toward the front door.  
  
"Faith I'm sorry." She turned around. "For what I said yesterday. I have changed."  
  
"Not really Bos."  
  
"What?"  
  
"The things you did yesterday. You were right, it was you," she paused. "It's just that for the last couple months you didn't have that rage anymore. I kinda got used to that. So yesterday it took me by surprise."  
  
"Yeah, me too actually," he grinned. "Yesterday, I don't know. I kinda felt whole again for the first time in ages."  
  
"That's good Bosco," she smiled reassuringly. "Well, maybe not for the guy you beat up, but it's good for you."  
  
He nodded, and they walked into the precinct together.  
  
*****  
  
Rylee woke up from her nap, and looked at the clock on the VCR. On a normal day she'd be in roll call right now, but this was day two of her suspension. She sat up and stretched her arms over her head. She winced at the pain in her arm. It was just another reminder of why she had been suspended.  
  
She needed to get out of her apartment, and get some fresh air. Rylee laced up her running shoes, and pulled on a sweatshirt before heading outside. With no idea where she was going she hit the sidewalk running.  
  
*****  
  
Faith and Bosco were sitting in their squad car in an alley across from a small rundown deli. "How long are we gonna sit her Bosco?" asked an annoyed Faith.  
  
He shrugged. "I don't know. How long 'til our shift's over?"  
  
"We've been sitting here for almost an hour. Maybe the guy works there."  
  
"Riiiight. L-Train works at the deli. Get real Faith." He shook his head. "He's up to something." Bosco's eyes never left the door of the deli. "Rylee and I saw him four times the other day, and each time he was acting all suspicious. He's definitely up to something."  
  
A few minutes later L-Train came out of the deli with a beautiful woman on his arm. They kissed, and went their separate ways. Faith laughed. "Oh he's up to something all right. He's up to his ears in love."  
  
Bosco punched the steering wheel. "Dammit!" Faith continued to laugh. "I'm serious Faith. He's up to something, and it's just a matter of time until I find out what." He started the car.  
  
"Bosco can't you just admit you were wrong?"  
  
He looked at her. "No," and pulled out into traffic.  
  
******  
  
Rylee had just dozed off on the couch in front of the TV when there was a knock on her door. It was midnight. Who would be knocking on her door at midnight? As she made her way to the door the person knocked a little louder. "Yeah. Yeah. I'm coming." She tiredly rubbed her eyes as she opened the door to find Bosco.  
  
"Did I wake you up?" He noticed her apartment was dark, and the only light was the blue glow of the television screen.  
  
"Yeah kinda," she replied as she walked back to the couch leaving the door open for Bosco to come inside. She flipped on the lights. "So, to what do I owe this visit?"  
  
He shrugged. "I don't know. Didn't feel like going home or going to the bar, so I thought I'd stop by and see how you're doin'." Bosco sat down in the chair. She nodded. "So…how you doin'?"  
  
She sighed. "I'm bored out of my mind. These last two days have proven that my job is my life. I mean…I like having days off, but when you have two weeks because you got suspended it's hard to swallow."  
  
"Tell me about it. I know exactly what you mean. I was suspended not too long before you transferred."  
  
"I can't handle just sittin' here doing nothing." She looked at him. "So how's it been working with Faith again?"  
  
"Good. It's like we never stopped working together. It's interesting. You and I pretty much have the same style…same philosophy. Faith and I differ quite a bit, but it works out ya know."  
  
"Totally. Johnny and I were so different, but we complimented each other really well. We balanced each other out," she got a mischievous grin on her face. "You and me, I have a feeling that now that you're pretty much back on track, we're going to give Swersky an ulcer."  
  
"You know it," he grinned. "But it's not like we do it on purpose." Bosco noticed Rylee rubbing her arm. "You OK?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Your arm."  
  
"Oh, yeah. I just have a huge bruise, so it's still pretty sore."  
  
"Hey what's this?" He picked a book up off the table, and read the cover. "Where does it come from? A journey to understand our anger." Bosco looked at Rylee. He was trying not to laugh, but it was a losing battle.  
  
"Sure, go ahead. Yuk it up. It's from that damn anger management class."  
  
"Really? I thought you were reading it for fun…a little self improvement."  
  
"Shut up," she chuckled.  
  
Bosco started flipping through the book. "Oh you've got to be kidding me! It's a workbook. Like fill in the blanks and turn it in when you're done." She glared at him. He was enjoying this too much. "Do you get a gold star if you have a revelation?"  
  
"It's not funny."  
  
He wiped the smile off his face. "You're right, it's not," the smile came back. "It's hilarious!"  
  
"Oh you asked for it," she laughed as she hopped off the couch and went after him. Bosco was too busy laughing to fend off her attack. She pulled him out of the chair, and twisted his arm behind his back. Both officers laughed as Bosco stood up on his toes trying to decrease the pressure on his arm. "I told you it wasn't funny."  
  
He laughed, tears forming in his eyes. "Ok, Ok, it's not funny. Now let me go."  
  
She twisted his arm a little more. "What do you say?"  
  
"Let me go."  
  
"Nope, that's not it. Say uncle."  
  
"Never," he laughed as he tried to twist out of her grasp.  
  
"Say it."  
  
"All right! Uncle! Uncle!"  
  
She let go of him, and he rubbed his arm. "I can't believe you just did that."  
  
"Hey it was either that or shoot you."  
  
"This anger management stuff seems to be helping all ready."  
  
"You better watch yourself Boscorelli."  
  
He chuckled. "I better get going." Bosco headed for the door. "Hey how 'bout meeting me and Faith after our shift tomorrow? There's this really good all night diner we like to go to sometimes."  
  
"Sounds good."  
  
"It's called the Choo Choo Diner."  
  
"Choo Choo Diner?"  
  
"Yeah, it's an old caboose. Any way, it's on Winter Street between 95th and 96th. See you there say 11:30, 11:45?"  
  
She nodded. "I'll be there."  
  
*****  
  
Yokas and Boscorelli sat in their RMP passing the time. "Faith I invited Rylee to go out with us tonight. Hope that's OK."  
  
"Yeah that's OK. When did you talk to her?"  
  
"I stopped by her apartment last night after the shift to see how she was doing."  
  
"How is she?"  
  
"She says she's OK, but she seems a little lost because of the suspension. The job is her life."  
  
"Sounds like someone else I know." She noticed a smile creep across Bosco's face. "What are you smiling about?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, I was just thinking about Rylee. She makes me laugh. I like hanging out with her."  
  
"You like working with her?"  
  
"Oh yeah. Absolutely." He glanced at Faith. "But I like working with you too." She looked at him, and he was afraid he had said something wrong. "I mean I like working with you more…it's just—"  
  
"Bosco, it's OK. I'm glad you enjoy working with her. It makes me feel better about taking the sergeant's position."  
  
He nodded and looked at her. "I'm glad we're working together again. Even if it's only for a little while."  
  
"Yeah, I missed this."  
  
*****  
  
Rylee had been running for half an hour. She stopped to rest for a minute. Then she realized where she was. She hadn't even noticed that she was in the neighborhood. Without thinking she walked toward the front door of the house she had stopped in front of.  
  
She knocked on the door, and shifted her weight from foot to foot as she waited for someone to answer. "This was a bad idea," she said to herself as she turned to walk away.  
  
The door opened when she was halfway down the front sidewalk. "Rylee?" She turned around; a nervous look on her face. "Where are you going?"  
  
Rylee looked at her feet, and kicked at a small pebble. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be here." She once again turned to leave.  
  
"Rylee! Stay. Come inside."  
  
She must have ended up here for a reason, so she figured she might as well stay.  
  
"How've you been?"  
  
She shoved her hands into the front pocket of her hooded sweatshirt. "I've been better. How 'bout you Johnny?"  
  
"Good. Real good." He watched as his former partner made her way into his living room. She stood in front of the fireplace looking at the picture of Johnny and his family.  
  
"Tracy and the kids home?"  
  
"No. Tracy's running some errands. Geoff's at baseball practice, and Tyler is rehearsing for the school play." Her back was to him, but he saw the small nod of her head. "The kids miss you, ya know."  
  
"Yeah right. Your kids hate me remember? Last time I saw them was the night I almost got you killed."  
  
Johnny sat down on the couch. "That wasn't your fault."  
  
She turned around to face him. Rylee just shook her head.  
  
"Is that why you haven't returned any of my calls? Because you think it was your fault? It wasn't your fault Rylee. The guy was a junkie. He was out of his mind. There was no way you could have known."  
  
"I've been telling myself that for a couple months now. I even believed it for a while too, but then I ran into Henderson the other day, and it got me thinking." She walked across the room. "I never doubted myself before Johnny. Never. No matter what, I always went with my instincts, and no matter what you were always there. Always saving my ass. Even when I was wrong, you were always there."  
  
"We were partners of course I was there."  
  
"How many times did you get shot at because of me? How many times did you risk your life to back me up?"  
  
"A couple," he replied softly.  
  
She forced a chuckle. "A couple." Rylee shook her head. "Not once Johnny, not once when we were on a call did I stop to think about your family. What it would do to them if something happened to you. I always went in full speed, guns blazing with blinders on. God, if you had died that night."  
  
"I didn't."  
  
"But if you had."  
  
"I didn't!"  
  
She sat on the arm of the couch, and looked at the floor. "I'm sorry," she said softly. She looked up at Johnny and opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out.  
  
He noticed that words failed her, so he tried to make small talk. "I hear you transferred to the 55th."  
  
She nodded.  
  
"You got today off?"  
  
"No, I uh, got suspended for two weeks."  
  
"How come?"  
  
"Disobeyed orders. Instead of waiting for ESU I entered the building. Got myself shot. It was a good thing my partner followed me in."  
  
"So who's your partner these days? Anyone I'd know?"  
  
"His names Boscorelli."  
  
"The name rings a bell, but I don't know why. You two get along OK?"  
  
She nodded. "He's cool, just takes a little while to get used to him."  
  
He chuckled. "Yeah, I know how that is."  
  
They sat in silence. It had been a long time since they had talked to each other. They had left so many things unsaid when they parted ways at the 38th precinct, but neither of them really knew where to start. Rylee took a deep breath, and looked at her friend. "Johnny, there's something I've been meaning to tell you about that night." 


	10. Part 10

Promises 10  
  
Sorry…. it's been a long time! Been busy trying to dig myself out of the hole that I created while attempting to write this chapter!  
  
Once again I don't own any of the Third Watch characters. But I do own the characters you've never heard of.  
  
*****  
  
"So that's why I ran in," finished Rylee as she looked up at her former partner who was staring back at her with a blank expression. "Damn!" She angrily pushed herself up off the arm of the couch where she had been perched. Rylee quickly began pacing around the room. She ran both hands through her hair, and grabbed hold like she was going to pull it out as she faced him again.  
  
"I never should have come here. I never should have told you. I shoulda just left things alone! Dammit!" She continued to pace as Johnny watched her, not knowing what to say to her. "What was I thinking?! See, this is why I never told you."  
  
"I don't know what to say," came his quiet voice. "What do you want me to say?"  
  
"Say something. Anything. Tell me it's OK. Tell me you hate me. It's the reason I almost got you killed so say something!" She looked at him. Fear in here eyes. This was the moment she had been dreading since that night so long ago though it seemed as if it was only yesterday. She knew that any second now he would say he hated her, and could never forgive her. He would say he wanted nothing to do with her and he never wanted to see her again. It would tear her apart inside, but she would understand. It was her fault to begin with.  
  
"I thought I knew you," he said as he shook his head in disbelief.  
  
"You know me better than anyone Johnny, but you only know what I wanted you to." She was ashamed of herself. Keeping this from Johnny was now ruining the best friendship she had, and she knew that soon she would have to tell her new partner as well. That's what really scared her…telling Bosco. Johnny was a saint compared to Boscorelli, and if this was his reaction…  
  
*****  
  
"I can't wait for this shift to be over," growled Bosco as he climbed into the RMP.  
  
"No kidding. Days like this remind me why I became a sergeant."  
  
"Days like today make me reconsider not taking the test."  
  
It was nine o'clock, and as soon as the clock struck five that evening they had been going non-stop. To Boscorelli and Yokas it seemed as if the entire city of New York had decided to try and break some kind of law.  
  
"We better get back to the house and start the paperwork or we might as well just stay through 'til our shift tomorrow."  
  
"Gawd! Can this night get any worse?!"  
  
"Damn it Bosco."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"You do realize you just jinxed us. Now I'm convinced this night isn't over."  
  
****  
  
Rylee slowly sat down on the couch, and looked at Johnny. A sad expression crossed his face. "I don't hate you Rylee. I just wish you would have told me before."  
  
She looked at the floor. "I couldn't," Rylee met his eyes. "Didn't know how."  
  
"We were partners Rylee. Knowing would have helped."  
  
Slowly she nodded. "Sorry," she whispered.  
  
There was a long pause. Rylee didn't like the silence. She contemplated walking out the front door, and never turning back, but he finally spoke. "It's in the past. No harm done."  
  
"What do you mean no harm done?! You got shot and quit the force because of me!"  
  
"I didn't quit the force because of you."  
  
"Henderson said-"  
  
"Screw Henderson. He doesn't know shit."  
  
"But he said you couldn't take working with me. Said you were tired of putting your life at risk and covering my ass, and that's why you quit."  
  
"And you believed that?"  
  
"Well…yeah."  
  
"Rylee we worked together for five years. Don't you think if I didn't want to work with you I would have done something about it sooner?"  
  
She looked at him. Still not believing what he was saying.  
  
"I quit the force because I wanted to spend more time with my family, and the only other option I had was to take an in-house job on a different shift."  
  
"So why didn't you?"  
  
"It's not my style, so instead, after 20 years I hung it up."  
  
"Then why did Henderson say…"  
  
"Come on O'Neill, Henderson always resented you."  
  
"Yeah, what'd I ever do to him anyway?"  
  
Johnny chuckled. "You seriously don't know?"  
  
She shook her head.  
  
"When you came to the 38 Thomas and I were still partners. Lieu said he had this hot-headed female rookie coming in and he needed someone to show her the ropes," he smiled, "I got stuck with ya cause everyone else had already said no."  
  
"Liar," she laughed.  
  
"No. That's true. Anyway, after that first week with you I went and told Lieu I didn't want to work with Henderson anymore. I wanted to work with you."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah. I'd worked with him for close to ten years and I enjoyed my job more in the week I spent with you then I ever did working with him. I was comfortable working with him; knew his style, but I needed a change. That's why you and I became partners, and as you can tell he's still pissed."  
  
"Yeah, but why's he pissed at me and not you?"  
  
"Thomas never was the brightest bulb."  
  
*****  
  
"Look at that Yokas," Bosco pointed to the clock above the exit. "11:10 and we're outta here. Jinx my ass."  
  
"The night isn't over yet Bos."  
  
"No, but our shift is, and that's all that matters to me because I'm starving!" He hurried toward his car. "Come on. I'll drive."  
  
It was 11:33 when the two officers were seated at the corner booth in the Choo Choo Diner. Bosco sat next to the window and faced the back wall. Faith sat next to him. "Think Rylee will be able to find us back here in this corner," questioned Faith.  
  
Bosco didn't look up from his menu. "She knows I like to sit in the corner. She'll find us."  
  
A few minutes later Faith looked up as two people approached the table. "Johnny?" asked a shocked Faith.  
  
"Faith? My God is that you? How are you?"  
  
"I'm good. Wow! I never expected to see you again."  
  
"Same here. Hey you still partnered with that young son of a bitch. Oh what's his name? The hot-headed Italian."  
  
Bosco looked up from his menu for the first time, and glared at the man Faith was talking to. He noticed Rylee was standing next to this man he had never seen before, but who was currently insulting him.  
  
"Oh, oops. That's him," Johnny chuckled.  
  
"Johnny, meet my new partner, Maurice Boscorelli."  
  
"I knew that name was familiar when you said it earlier." The two men shook hands. "Sorry about that," apologized Johnny.  
  
"Whatever," replied Bosco as he put down his menu.  
  
Faith looked at Rylee and Johnny, and waved her finger between the two of them. "So that means your tough as nails female partner is…" she pointed at Rylee.  
  
"The very same," smiled Johnny as he sat down next to Rylee and across from Faith.  
  
"Small world," sighed Faith. "Can you believe these two are partners now?"  
  
"Yeah, "our" kids are all grown up," he laughed. "They deserve each other."  
  
"What the hell does that mean?!" spat Bosco. Faith and Johnny began to laugh as Bosco and Rylee just looked at each other.  
  
"OK this is real cute and all," chimed Rylee. "Now will somebody explain how you two know each other?"  
  
Faith took a deep breath to control herself. "You guys remember a couple years back, the big drug and arms bust that all went down at the same time?" O'Neill and Bosco both nodded. "Bosco, you and I were working with the Feds on the firearms aspect."  
  
"And Rylee you and I were on drug detail."  
  
"I remember," came Rylee's reply.  
  
"Yeah, me too, but that doesn't explain how you two know each other," said an irritated and confused Boscorelli.  
  
"Well, let us set it up for you. Do you wanna start Faith or should I?"  
  
"Go ahead."  
  
"OK, well. Rylee and I were working with the FBI trying to bring down this big drug ring. The agents who brief us say whatever happens we need to stay out of sight until a plain clothes agent can get close enough to make an ID." Bosco nodded his understanding. "So Rylee and I are sittin' in our squad around the corner when the guy we're after comes walking down the street."  
  
"The feds totally blew it!" interrupted Rylee. "They walked right past him, and didn't even know it was him."  
  
"Yeah, so super cop here goes busting after him, and makes the arrest."  
  
"Yeah, so? What's the big deal?" asks Bosco.  
  
"The big deal is the feds decided at the last second they didn't want to move on it just yet, but they didn't tell us "lowly" patrol officers. So Rylee ends up at their headquarters and just chewed out by some administrative big shots."  
  
Rylee and Bosco look at each other, then at Faith. "OK, my turn. While all of that was going on Bosco and I were on the firearm detail with another group of feds in a different part of the city. We were told to stay to the back of the group as the building was cleared. You know, let the agents who are "trained" for this stuff take care of it."  
  
"Yeah. Like I'm not trained," gripes Bosco.  
  
"So Bosco and I are staying back like we're told when this agent in front of us starts having problems dealing with one of the perps."  
  
"The guy was manhandling this old geezer of an agent, so I step in to help him out. I take the guy down and cuff him. End of story."  
  
"Or so we thought. Turns out this "old geezer" is a well respected and decorated agent who tells the supervising agent that Bosco disrespected him and disobeyed orders to stay back."  
  
"Guy had a major stick up his ass," groaned Bosco.  
  
"Anyway. Bosco ends up at headquarters where he promptly gets taken into an office and heavily reprimanded."  
  
"So Faith and I met while we were waiting for you two. We had a good hour to get to know each other.  
  
"From the stories we shared we figured you two had the exact same style of policing."  
  
"And I knew that you two were exactly alike when Boscorelli stormed out of that office and didn't even look at Faith, just yelled 'LET'S GO!'." Johnny laughed at the memory.  
  
"I can't *believe* I didn't remember all this when Swersky was telling me who our new officer was. I refused to believe anyone could be like Bosco. Totally forgot that I *knew* there was someone like him out there."  
  
"Hey, it's not like it's a bad thing," said Rylee as she tried to defend herself and Bosco.  
  
"No, just highly unusual," said Johnny. "And now you're partners. That must be a real treat for your superior officers."  
  
"Tell me about it. I'm one of those superior officers now."  
  
"We aren't that bad," interjected Bosco.  
  
"You just keep telling yourself that," chuckled Faith.  
  
*****  
  
*****  
  
Well my friends…that's where I'm leaving it for now! Hehehe! 


	11. Part 11

Promises Chapter 11 ***** Sorry for the delay.got caught up in other things.mainly my website! OH yeah, I don't own anything nor do I know any street names or which directions they run in NY! LOL! Hope you are still reading! *****  
  
"Ya know. I really had a good time last night," said an unusually cheerful Bosco.  
  
"Yeah me too," smiled Faith.  
  
"That Johnny guy isn't half bad once you get used to him."  
  
"From what I've seen he's a nice guy. I can tell he and Rylee made a good team."  
  
"Yeah, a lot like us. I mean last night I just kept thinking about how similar we all are."  
  
"Except I'm the level headed one in this partnership, and Johnny was in theirs."  
  
Bosco went on like he hadn't even heard Faith's little dig at him. "Amazing, huh? Almost like we have a twin." Faith looked at Bosco. "Oh and don't go saying Rylee and I look alike because we don't! OK? We don't!"  
  
"Whatever you say." ***** THREE DAYS LATER "Come on Lieu. Please. Let me come back," pleaded O'Neill.  
  
"Two weeks is two weeks," boomed Lieutenant Swersky.  
  
"Come on boss. I'm dying here. Sittin' at home all day. I can't take it. I gotta get back on the job."  
  
"Well you should have thought about that before O'Neill."  
  
"I'm sorry Lieu. It won't happen again I swear."  
  
"You're right it won't happen again or your ass is out of here!"  
  
"Come on Lieu. I'm still going to that anger management class. I just need to get back on the job."  
  
"One more week Rylee. That's final."  
  
"Yes sir," a dejected, defeated Rylee slowly made her way out of the Lieutenant's office.  
  
As the office door closed Swersky shook his head. "I like your spirit kid, but you've got to learn," he said to the empty room.  
  
Bosco came bouncing down the precinct stairs and bumped into an unsuspecting Rylee. "Oh sorry," Bosco looked up. "Hey Ry! What's up? What are you doing here?"  
  
She looked toward Swersky's office. "Tried talking Lieu into letting me come back early."  
  
"What'd he say?"  
  
"No go."  
  
"Damn. Sorry." They stood saying nothing for a moment. "Well I gotta head out. Faith's waitin' outside." ***** "You look perplexed," said Faith as Bosco climbed into their RMP.  
  
"Perplexed?"  
  
"Yeah, you got something on your mind?"  
  
"I saw Rylee inside. She was trying to get Swersky to let her come back early." Bosco started the car.  
  
"And?"  
  
"He didn't budge."  
  
"That's not surprising."  
  
"No, but I don't know. It's just.she seems so.lost. I see it in the way she walks, hear it in her voice, and there's this, this empty look in her eyes." He looked back at Faith. "It's like she's dead inside or something."  
  
"Kinda like she's just going through the motions?"  
  
"Yeah exactly."  
  
"I've seen it before."  
  
"You have? When? With who?"  
  
"With you."  
  
"Me?"  
  
Faith nodded. "You know, after Hobart and all that other crap that happened. It's exactly how you were."  
  
"I was?"  
  
"Yeah. You had a lot weighing on your mind, and you wouldn't let anyone in. I talked to Lieu because I didn't know how to help you."  
  
"Well we've gotta do something for Rylee."  
  
"What do you want to do?"  
  
"Maybe you could talk to Swersky? Pull a few strings?"  
  
"Bosco."  
  
"Come on Faith. Do it for me."  
  
"How do we even know that being suspended is the problem? Maybe it's something else completely."  
  
"It can't hurt though can it?"  
  
"Probably not, but I think you should talk to Swersky."  
  
"Why me?"  
  
"Cause you know her better, and you're the one who sees it."  
  
Bosco thought about it for a minute. "Yeah. All right. But you're going to back me up right?"  
  
"Definitely." ***** Bosco knocked on the door. "Lieu?"  
  
Swersky turned around. "Boscorelli. Yokas. What can I do for you?"  
  
Bosco looked at Faith for reassurance. She nodded. "Can we, uh, talk to you for a minute?"  
  
"Sure. Have a seat." The two officers sat down. "What's on your mind?"  
  
"It's Rylee. I mean Officer O'Neill," replied Bosco.  
  
"What about her?"  
  
"Well. I was wondering if you would consider letting her come back early?"  
  
Swersky's eyes narrowed. "Did O'Neill put you up to this?"  
  
"No sir!"  
  
The Lieutenant looked at Faith who shook her head. "Why do you think I should let her come back early Bosco?"  
  
"This job is her life, and I can see that it's tearing her up inside not being able to come to work. It's like it's destroying her. She's just not the same."  
  
"And you think letting her come back will fix things?"  
  
"Yes sir."  
  
"Have you talked to her to see if something else is bothering her?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Maybe you should try talking to her first," Swersky stated sternly. Bosco nodded, and got up to leave. There was nothing he could do here. "And Bosco."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Your partner disobeyed a direct order, and assaulted another officer. It could be a lot worse."  
  
Bosco nodded. "I know," he sighed.  
  
Faith stood up to follow Bosco out of the office. "Faith."  
  
"Yeah Lieu."  
  
"What do you think about this?"  
  
"I don't know really. But Bosco's pretty sure about this, and I have to tell you that when he feels this strongly about something he's usually right." Swersky nodded as Faith left the office.  
  
After talking to Swersky there was only an hour left in their shift so the two officers found an open desk where they sat and put the finishing touches on their paperwork. Faith looked over at Bosco who was sitting next to the desk. "You're awfully quite. Everything OK?"  
  
He turned and leaned on the desk. "I've just been thinking about Rylee." Bosco looked down and fiddled with the papers he had been working on. "You think Lieu's right? You think maybe it's something more than just the suspension?"  
  
Yokas put down her pen. "I don't know Bos."  
  
"She seemed fine the other night."  
  
"That was a few days ago Bosco. A lot can happen in a few days."  
  
Bosco looked at Faith; concern on his face. "You think it's something serious?"  
  
"Why don't you go talk to her when we're done?"  
  
"What would I say?"  
  
"Just ask if she's OK. Talk to her. See what's on her mind."  
  
He nodded. "OK." ***** KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK  
  
Rylee jumped off the couch to answer the door. It was almost midnight, so she was pretty sure she knew who was at the door. She opened the door and saw that she was right. "Hey Bosco." She turned to give him room to come in, but he just stood in the hall.  
  
"Hi Ry." He shoved his hands deeper into his pockets, and shifted his weight.  
  
"You, uh, wanna come in?"  
  
"Oh, yeah, sure," he slowly made his way into the apartment.  
  
Rylee could see he was nervous about something. "You OK?"  
  
"Me? Yeah I'm OK." They stood looking at each other. Wondering what the other was thinking.  
  
"So, what brings you by?" Rylee asked as she sat down on the couch.  
  
"I uh, I was uh.Well, I wanted to ask you something."  
  
"Then ask," she smiled.  
  
"Is everything all right with you?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You know, are you OK?"  
  
"I'm fine."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah. Why?"  
  
"Well it's just that today when I ran into you at the house you just seemed so down." He went and sat on the other end of the couch. "And then I talked to Lieu to see if you could come back early because you seemed so lost and he told me I should talk to you and see if it was the suspension that was bothering you or if it was something else. So here I am." The words came out quickly.  
  
"Wait. You talked to Swersky about me?!" How could you do that?!"  
  
Bosco shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I was worried."  
  
"Worried about me?! I'm a big girl Bosco I can take care of myself!"  
  
"Ok. Ok. Sorry. Keep your shirt on. All I was trying to do was help my partner. I thought you'd be happy that I tried."  
  
"Well, I'm not." They sat in uneasy silence.  
  
"Maybe I should go," Bosco stood up to leave.  
  
"No. Look I was out of line."  
  
Bosco smiled. "I don't think this anger management class is working."  
  
She chuckled. "Shut up."  
  
"So can I ask you something without you jumping down my throat?"  
  
"I guess."  
  
"Are you really OK? Is it the suspension or something else?"  
  
"Mostly it's the suspension," she sighed. "Without going to work everyday I just have way too much time to sit and think about everything."  
  
"Like what?"  
  
She wasn't sure why, but talking to Bosco was fairly easy. Rylee still didn't like to open up to people, but she knew that Bosco had been through a lot, so in a way she felt he would understand. "Johnny. My family. All the stupid stunts I've pulled. Lets just say I don't think things can get any worse."  
  
"You wanna talk about it?"  
  
Rylee looked at him sitting at the other end of the couch. "No," she said sternly as she changed her mind. Tonight wasn't the night she'd tell him.  
  
"You sure?"  
  
"Don't push it Bosco." ***** "Did you talk to Rylee last night?" asked Faith.  
  
"Yup."  
  
"What's she say?"  
  
"The suspension is her problem. Being at home gives her time to think."  
  
"What? She doesn't like thinking?" joked Faith.  
  
"No. It's just.never mind."  
  
"ALL UNITS OF THE 5-5. BANK ROBBERY SUSPECT SEEN ON JEFFERSON AND 41ST. WEARING GREEN T-SHIRT. CONSIDER ARMED AND DANGEROUS."  
  
"5-5 David on the way," said Faith into the radio as Bosco hit the lights and siren and sped off.  
  
"5-5 Charlie responding," came Davis's voice over the radio.  
  
As Faith and Bosco approached the area they both glanced quickly at the sketch they had received in roll call. Faith looked up in time to see something green duck around the corner. "Take a right Bosco!" They squealed around the corner and saw the suspect running down the street. Yokas grabbed her radio. "Suspect headed west on Jefferson between 41st and 42nd."  
  
Bosco stopped the squad and hopped out. He took off after the man. Faith jumped out of the car. "Bosco! BOSCO!" She hustled around to the driver's seat. "Dammit!" She sped after her partner. "Suspect continuing west on Jefferson. My partner is on foot."  
  
Sully and Davis came to a stop at the intersection in front of the suspect who was too busy looking back at Bosco to notice the RMP. As soon as he turned around he saw the car, and began to slow down. Bosco barreled after him, and tackled him onto the hood of the car. Boscorelli slammed the man's head into the hood drawing blood. "Stupid ass! That'll teach you to run from me!" Bosco cuffed him and dragged him toward 5-5 David.  
  
"You're welcome Bosco," grumbled Sullivan as Davis just chuckled in the background. ***** The phone rang three times before Rylee picked it up. "Yeah."  
  
"May I speak with Rylee O'Neill?"  
  
"This is," Rylee didn't recognize the voice. "This better not be a telemarketer," she thought as she kicked herself for not having Caller ID.  
  
"Rylee this is Hannah McKay."  
  
"I'm sorry. Who?"  
  
"Hannah McKay. I'm a friend of your Aunt Rita."  
  
"Oh hi. What can I do for you?"  
  
"I'm afraid I have some bad news. Rita passed away this afternoon."  
  
"What?! What happened?!"  
  
"She had a massive heart attack. I'm so sorry dear."  
  
Rylee was shocked. She couldn't believe this was happening. Just when she thought life couldn't get any worse, and there couldn't be any more lows.  
  
"Rylee? Are you still there?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah I'm here. How's Trevor?"  
  
"He's pretty upset." There was silence as Hannah hesitated. "Rylee, he's going to have to live with you now." ***** ****** Author's Note::: So, will Dominique Adams reappear in the next chapter? Or maybe the one after that?? You'll have to keep reading to find out! 


	12. Part 12

Promises Chapter 12 ****** Hope you are still reading! The only characters I own are Rylee, Trevor, Johnny and Dominique! ****** TWO DAYS LATER "Bosco I'd like to see you in my office. Everyone else have a good tour." Swersky picked up his papers and headed for his office.  
  
Davis and Sully stood up and turned to look at Bosco. "What'd you do this time Bosco?"  
  
"Nothing Sully." Bosco glared at the older man then sobered. "At least nothing I know of." Bosco walked into Swersky's office. "What's up Lieu?"  
  
The Lieutenant handed him a piece of paper. "What do you make of this?"  
  
Bosco stood by Swersky's desk reading the words on the page. He stopped reading and looked at Lieu. One hand on his gun belt the other holding the paper. "When did you get this?"  
  
"Got it this afternoon. Then I got a phone call saying she missed her last three anger management classes. You know anything about this?" Swersky motioned toward the paper.  
  
Bosco shook his head. "No.no." He put the letter on the desk. "I haven't talked to her for a coupla days." He was shocked, and didn't know what to say.  
  
"Why don't you and Yokas head over to her place and talk to her? Let me know what you find out."  
  
"Yeah. Sure thing Lieu," Bosco said absently as he walked out of the office.  
  
Faith, Sully and Davis were standing in the hallway. Yokas was the first to spot Bosco as he headed toward the other end of the hall. "Bosco! Where are you going?" she called after him. He didn't turn around. Instead he just went into the locker room.  
  
Davis looked at Faith. "Wonder what's up with him."  
  
Sully just sighed. "Come on Davis. We better head out. See you later Faith."  
  
Yokas looked at Sully, but was already preoccupied with concern for Bosco. "Yeah.sure Sully." She headed for the locker room. Slowly she opened the door and spotted him sitting in front of his locker. He wore no expression. "Bosco? Bos?" He didn't respond. "You OK? What'd Lieu want?"  
  
"Rylee resigned," he said without looking at her.  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
Bosco shook his head and shrugged. "I don't know. Letter didn't say." Faith stood there looking at him when all of a sudden he stood up. "Come on let's go." She didn't ask where, she just followed him. ****** Rylee sat on the couch in Rita's house flipping through a family photo album. "Whatcha thinking about?" asked a voice from the doorway.  
  
Before she could answer, her cell phone rang. "Hello," she said. The exhaustion could be heard in her voice.  
  
"Ry its Bosco."  
  
"Great," she thought. "Hey," she replied into the phone.  
  
"You OK? Where are you?"  
  
"I'm back in Indiana."  
  
"Why? What's going on?"  
  
"My aunt died."  
  
"Oh. I'm sorry," he said softly. "When are---"  
  
"Look Bosco I can't talk right now."  
  
"Yeah. OK. Call me when you get back in town."  
  
"I don't think I'm coming back," she said and then hung up. ***** Bosco stood in Rylee's apartment and slowly brought the phone away from his ear. Faith walked over to him. "Where is she? What's going on?"  
  
"Indiana. Her aunt died." He looked up at Faith. "She said she doesn't think she's coming back."  
  
"What? Why?" Faith asked in shock.  
  
"I don't know. She hung up on me." ***** Rylee sat looking at her cell phone. "Who was that?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, that was my partner, Bosco."  
  
"What did he want?"  
  
"He was calling to see where I was. I never told him I was leaving."  
  
"Oh, I see."  
  
"Trevor, come here. We need to talk."  
  
He walked over and sat next to her. "Yeah?"  
  
She looked down at the coffee table where the photo album was laying. "You're going to have to live with me now."  
  
"I know."  
  
She looked at him with sad eyes. "You should have been living with me all along. I'm sorry."  
  
"It's OK. I understood."  
  
Rylee took a deep breath. "I want you to know that it's up to you where we live. We can stay here if you want."  
  
"What about your job?"  
  
"I quit."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because you are more important, and I can find another job." She ruffled his hair. "Take your time and think about it. OK? We'll do whatever makes you happy."  
  
"Yeah OK."  
  
She gave him a hug and went outside for some fresh air. ***** Bosco went to find Lieu when they got back to the house. "Did you talk to O'Neill?"  
  
"Yeah. Turns out she's back in Indiana. There was a death in the family."  
  
"She say anything about why she resigned?"  
  
"No. She hung up on me before I could ask, but she did say she didn't think she was coming back to New York."  
  
"Well you keep trying. She's a good officer, and I'd really hate to lose her."  
  
"Yes sir." Bosco went back outside to where Faith was waiting with the squad.  
  
"You OK?"  
  
He looked over at her. "Fine. Why?"  
  
"Bosco don't lie to me."  
  
"Really. I'm fine Faith. I just don't know what to think or say right now."  
  
"That's a first," Faith chuckled as she tried to lighten the mood.  
  
He shook his head. "Looks like I lost another partner."  
  
"Hey I'm still here."  
  
"Only temporarily." ***** She retrieved the basketball and took another shot. After it clanged off the rim it bounced toward the backyard. Trevor came out the backdoor; he picked up the ball and walked over to Rylee. "I want to live in New York," he said as he handed her the ball.  
  
"You do?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"What about school and your friends?"  
  
"I don't want to stay here. Bad things always happen to me here." ***** TWO WEEKS LATER Faith pushed Bosco forward. "Just knock."  
  
Bosco took a deep breath and knocked on the door. He heard someone shuffling things around and then the door opened. "Hi," he said shyly as he stood with his hands on his gun belt.  
  
"Bosco! Hi," Rylee quickly and nervously looked behind her. She wasn't ready to explain about Trevor and was hoping he was still in his room. Rylee looked over Bosco's shoulder and saw Faith. "Hey Sarge." Yokas nodded. "Uh, so how'd you know I was here?"  
  
"Well, it's not because you returned any of my calls," snapped a now angry Bosco.  
  
Faith put a hand on his shoulder to try and calm him. "We've been driving past your building a few times every night for the last couple of weeks. Tonight was the first time we saw a light on."  
  
"Oh," said Rylee.  
  
Bosco's eyes were set on Rylee. They shot daggers at her, but underneath the fierce look she could see the hurt. "How come you didn't return my calls?! I left messages. Why didn't you answer your cell?!"  
  
"It wasn't a good time."  
  
"We were partners! I thought we were friends!" Bosco yelled as Faith tried to quiet him, but he ignored her.  
  
"We are friends," Rylee said softly.  
  
"Yeah? Then why'd I have to find out from Lieu that you resigned?! Huh? Tell me that!"  
  
"It's complicated."  
  
Just then Trevor called out as he came out of his room. "Can I..Oh sorry. I didn't know anyone was here." He turned to go back into his room.  
  
"Trevor, come here. I want you to meet a couple people." He approached the trio who still stood in the open doorway. Rylee put her arm around his shoulders. "Trevor this is Officer Boscorelli and Sergeant Yokas. Bosco. Faith. This is Trevor." 


	13. Part 13

Promises Part 13 ****** Remember I don't own the TW characters, but I do own Rylee, Johnny, Trevor and Dominique!  
  
Hope you enjoy this chapter! Please review! OH, and remember this is fiction.so in my land of fiction New York City isn't as big as it is in real life! LOL! ******  
  
Bosco stood there in shock. He looked from Rylee to Trevor back to Rylee and back to Trevor. Faith thought his eyes were going to fall out of his head. She quickly elbowed him to bring him back to reality. He just glared at her as he rubbed his arm. Faith put her hand out. "Nice to meet you Trevor. Just ignore Bosco. He's a little cranky tonight."  
  
Rylee watched Bosco as he looked one more time from Trevor to her. He looked directly at her. "Bosco let me explain." He turned and walked away.  
  
Faith looked at Rylee. "I'm sorry. I don't know what got into him."  
  
"It's not your fault. I figured he might react this way. I just wish he would have let me explain." ***** Faith went outside and found Bosco pacing on the sidewalk next to the car. "Bosco. Why'd you leave like that?"  
  
He stopped abruptly. "Can you believe that?!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"She's got a kid!"  
  
"Whoa! Hold on Bosco. You don't know that."  
  
"No?! Then who's Trevor?!"  
  
"I don't know, but he looks too old to be her kid. Unless she had him when she was like fifteen or something."  
  
"Who knows maybe she did! Obviously she didn't think it was important enough to tell me!"  
  
"Bosco she doesn't have to tell you everything about her life!"  
  
"Yeah, but that kid," he shook his head. "That kid's the reason I lost another partner."  
  
"You don't know that for sure."  
  
"Come on Faith! You can't tell me you didn't see all the boxes! The stuff she was unpacking. The kid's moving in with her!"  
  
"Bosco you need to calm down, and remember, the world doesn't revolve around you!"  
  
"I know that!"  
  
"Then quit acting so selfish! Quit thinking about how all this is affecting *you*! I'm willing to bet it's affecting them a hell of a lot more!"  
  
He looked at her. Then studied the ground. "I just didn't want to lose her too."  
  
"I know," Faith said softly. "But you won't lose her completely unless you keep acting like a jerk." ***** The rest of their shift was pretty uneventful. Faith and Bosco walked out of the precinct together. "You OK Bosco?" He nodded wordlessly. "You want to go for a drink or something?"  
  
"Sure, why not." They walked toward his car. Rylee approached them.  
  
"Bosco. Can I talk to you?" asked Rylee.  
  
He looked at Faith who nodded her encouragement. "Yeah. OK."  
  
"Lets go for a walk. Faith I'd like for you to come along if you don't mind." The three of them walked down the street together. "First off I need to clear something up because I think you got the wrong impression earlier. Trevor is my little brother."  
  
Bosco grinned sheepishly and looked at Faith. "Oops," he said quietly.  
  
"Our parents died a little over two year ago, so Trevor has been living with our Aunt Rita. Well, as you know Rita passed away, and I'm the only one left to take care of him."  
  
"So is that why you resigned?" asked Faith.  
  
"Yeah. I couldn't see working the hours that I do and taking the risks that I take when I know there's someone counting on me to come home safely every night. And being a cop I can't guarantee Trevor that nothing is going to happen to me."  
  
"You've thought about this a lot then?" Bosco questioned. "There's no changing your mind?"  
  
"Well I didn't think I would change my mind, but Trevor's a bright kid and we had a long talk tonight. We made some decisions, so tomorrow I'm going to go beg Lieu for my job back."  
  
Faith and Bosco looked at each other. "I don't think that'll be a problem cause I know for a fact that Swersky hasn't accepted your resignation," Bosco informed her.  
  
The trio continued walking. There was a lull in the conversation until Faith spoke. "So how old is Trevor?"  
  
"He'll turn fifteen in September. So now we just need to figure out how we're going to swing this with me going back to work."  
  
"Rylee, where are we going?" asked Bosco as they started walking through a rundown neighborhood.  
  
"Just a few more blocks." They walked the rest of the way in silence. Rylee walked slightly ahead of them, and sat down on a picnic table.  
  
Faith looked around. "What are we doing here?"  
  
Rylee looked at Bosco. "Do you remember this place Reese?" He just stared at her.  
  
"Did you just call him Reese?" Faith chuckled with amusement, but the smile left when she saw the serious looks on their faces.  
  
"You remember how we first met over there?" she asked as she pointed to the cement tube in the corner of the lot. "Remember how I beat you up?"  
  
"This isn't funny Rylee!" Bosco snapped at her.  
  
"I'm not trying to be funny. I'm trying to explain."  
  
"But, but how do you know? I never told you where this place was. I never told you how I met her!"  
  
"Reese. It's me. That's how I know."  
  
"No. No. You can't be." He shook his head furiously. Bosco looked at her with hope in his eyes. "Dom?" Rylee nodded. "NO!" Bosco turned his back to her. "I don't believe you!"  
  
Faith just stood there with her mouth agape. She had no clue what was going on, but she wasn't about to ask.  
  
"Reese-"  
  
Bosco spun back around. "Stop calling me that! You're not her! You can't be!"  
  
"But I am," Rylee said softly.  
  
He took a deep breath. "I would have known. I would have recognized you."  
  
"It's been twenty two years. We've both changed. We've grown up."  
  
"But how? You don't even have the same name. Why should I believe you?"  
  
Rylee reached into her pocket and pulled out a picture. She handed it to him. "Where'd you get this?!" He asked as he looked at the picture. It was the same photo he had in his junk drawer at home, except this one wasn't wrinkled like his.  
  
"You gave it to me. Remember? Read the back."  
  
Bosco turned the picture over and recognized his handwriting, which hadn't changed much in twenty-two years. "To my best friend Dom. From Reese." He looked back at Rylee. "Is this for real? It's really you?"  
  
"Yeah," she nodded.  
  
"But this doesn't make any sense. How'd you go from Dominique Adams to Rylee O'Neill? How'd you just drop off the face of the earth? Why didn't you tell me sooner? Why didn't you try to find me before?" He had so many questions for her.  
  
"It's a long story, but I'm finally ready to share it with you."  
  
Faith spoke up. "OK can someone please tell me what's going on? And why I'm here."  
  
Rylee smiled. "You may want to sit down." Both Faith and Bosco sat on the picnic table across from Rylee. "Well Sarge. I'll give you the short version to catch you up. Bosco and I used to live about ten blocks from each other. We met here when we were eight. Both our fathers were abusive. We used to come here to get away from it."  
  
Bosco had a far off look in his eyes. "Then my parents got divorced and we moved. I never saw her again. Never knew what happened to her."  
  
Faith nodded. "And I'm here because?"  
  
"Because I was nervous about telling him, and wanted someone he trusts to be here with him. I figured this was going to be a pretty big blow."  
  
"You can say that again," said Bosco. He looked at Rylee. "So what happened after I moved?"  
  
"Well, things were OK for awhile, but then my dad started up again. Worse than before. I used to come here and pray that you were here waiting for me." Rylee looked down at the picnic table. "A few months later my dad got drunk and he beat my mom to death." She took a deep breath. "I saw the whole thing. Then my dad looked up and saw me. I was terrified. I thought I was next, but for some reason I didn't run. I just stood there looking at him. Then he got this look in his eyes. Almost like he realized what he had been doing to us all those years. Next thing I know he pulled out a gun." Faith and Bosco could see the hate in her eyes as the light from the street illuminated her face in the darkness. She forced a chuckle. "I didn't even know he owned a gun. If I had I probably would have shot the bastard long before then, but there I was, ten years old, my mom dead on the floor by my father's hands and then he shot himself."  
  
Bosco reached across the table and put his hand on top of Rylee's. "I'm sorry Ry. I'm really sorry." Her story had made him angry, but had also brought tears to his eyes. All these years he kept thinking what a rotten life he had, but now he knew it was nothing compared to what Rylee had been through.  
  
"How awful," gasped Faith.  
  
Rylee shook her head. "It was kind of a blessing in disguise. I went into foster care and was adopted by the O'Neills. They were two of the most loving people God ever created. They were told they couldn't have kids and they picked me. Can you believe it? I was ten and had been to hell and back. I bottled everything up. I didn't talk to anyone about anything. I didn't think anyone could love me, but they wanted me." She paused. "The O'Neills gave me a clean slate. As soon as it was cleared by the state we moved to Indiana so we could all start our lives as a family. When I was seventeen Trevor was born. Another one of God's miracles."  
  
"I searched the New York databases a few times to see if I could figure out what happened to you and your folks. As far as the system was concerned there never was a Dominique Adams."  
  
"Yeah. The O'Neills came from money and he worked in the records department. He was basically able to pool his resources and found a way to have my name removed from pretty much everything. He wanted me to be able to forget my past. Not that I could ever forget what happened, but he wanted to erase what he could. I don't know how he did it, but he did and I guess I don't want to know how he did it."  
  
"So, what happened to them? If you don't mind my asking?" questioned Faith.  
  
"I was working with the 38th and got a call one night. My family had gone out of town and was on their way home when they were hit by a drunk driver. Trevor was asleep in the backseat. He didn't have a scratch on him, but our parents were killed on impact."  
  
Faith and Bosco didn't know what to say. Her story, her life was so complicated and sad. "Trevor moved in with Rita after that. We've both seen our share of family deaths."  
  
Bosco looked at her. "So is that why you don't drink?" She nodded. "Why'd you move back to the City? I mean why'd you leave Indiana in the first place?"  
  
She grinned. "I always knew that I wanted to be a cop, and that I wanted to come back to New York because I felt this need to look out for the women and kids in our old neighborhood. No one seemed to be looking out for us when we were kids, and I wanted to make sure there was a cop or someone who cared. Plus, it sounds crazy, but after I got out of the academy I had a dream that you were still here somewhere. And that promise we made when you left. I always intended to keep it."  
  
"Then where were you that night?" he asked, the hurt evident in his voice.  
  
"Johnny and I were chasing a suspect that evening and I tripped and fell down a flight of stairs. Broke my arm pretty bad. They had to put me under to set it. When I woke up I kept telling the nurses that I had to go because I had to meet a friend at the playground. They all thought I was nuts! Johnny was the only one who would listen to me and he finally talked them into letting me go, but by the time we got here it was one o'clock. But I didn't give up looking for you. It took me another two years to find you, but I finally did."  
  
"How did you find him?"  
  
"A few months back you two got commendations after that shoot out. It made one of the NYPD newsletters. Ever since then I'd been trying to figure out how to meet up with you and then after Johnny quit I decided to put in for a transfer."  
  
"Why didn't you just stop by or something? I still don't understand why you waited so long."  
  
"It had been twenty two years. I wanted to get to know you. See if you were angry or if you even remembered me. I had to feel you out to know if I should even bring up our past or if I should have just let it die the day the O'Neills adopted me."  
  
"So that's why you asked so many questions when we met?"  
  
"I was really afraid of what you were going to think of me because I broke the promise. I knew you always kept your end of the bargain, and how much you hated it when people broke their promises."  
  
Faith looked at Bosco. "Is that what you meant about people always breaking promises? You were talking about Rylee--- Dominique."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"And to think you two ended up getting partnered together. That's pretty bizarre."  
  
"Tell me about it," grinned Rylee. "I definitely wasn't expecting that. It was really difficult that first day when I saw you for the first time." She looked at Bosco. "You took all of this better than I thought you would."  
  
"It still hasn't sunk in."  
  
"Are you mad?"  
  
"No, how could I be mad when I'm sitting here with the two best friends I've ever had," he grinned. "I never thought I would see the day." ***** They made the trek back to the car. "So you're going to talk to Swersky tomorrow and we'll be working together again soon." His voice sounded upbeat.  
  
"I'll talk to him, but I think it's going to take a while to sort everything out with Trevor and stuff, but don't worry. I'll be back to work as soon as I can," she smiled. "I'll call you."  
  
They said goodnight, and Rylee walked to her car. Relief washed over her knowing that Bosco wasn't upset with her. Sure he was angry to begin with, but he accepted everything she had to say, and for that she was grateful. She didn't want to lose him again.  
  
Bosco couldn't believe that Dominique was back in his life after all these years. There had been a small void in his life ever since that last night he saw here at the playground when they were ten. But tonight she was back, and even though he wasn't real thrilled with how it all happened it felt good to have that void filled. ****** ****** ****** Author's Note: I hope this chapter wasn't too lame for you guys! If you didn't like it.please keep the flames to yourself.thanks! 


	14. Part 14

Promises Chapter 14 ******* I know it has been an ETERNITY since the last time I updated this story. I've kinda fallen in love with another story that I'm writing, and put this one on the backburner. However I wanted you guys to know that I'm still working on this one, so even though this is a VERY BRIEF chapter I hope you get a little enjoyment out of it! ******* THREE WEEKS LATER  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Hey Johnny. It's Rylee."  
  
"Hey! So how's everything? How's Trevor settling in?"  
  
"Great. He loves the city. I think he's going to do OK here."  
  
"So, what's up?"  
  
"Well.I'm going to go back to the 55th."  
  
"Good for you Rylee."  
  
"Thanks. It's going to be really hard though. You know with Trevor and trying to adjust to everything. I mean I haven't worked in a while because I wanted to help him get settled in."  
  
"I'm sure you will both be fine."  
  
"Johnny."she paused as she wasn't exactly sure how to approach this.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I was wondering." she paused again not really sure how to ask the question.  
  
"Rylee what is it?"  
  
"I'm going back to the third watch and well.just say no if you think it's a bad idea or if I'm asking too much. Don't be afraid to say no cause I'll understand."  
  
"It's hard to say anything if you don't ask the question."  
  
"Do you think you and Tracy.? I mean Trevor goes to the same school as.I was wondering if." Rylee couldn't form her thoughts. She knew that she could ask Johnny anything, but this just seemed to step over some sort of boundary.  
  
"Rylee we'd be happy to look after Trevor while you're at work." Johnny could always read her thoughts even when she wasn't putting them together herself.  
  
"Really?" she asked in surprise.  
  
"Really. We'll pick him up from school and when your shift is over you can swing by our place."  
  
"I don't want you to do this if it's too much."  
  
"Would you relax?! We've got two kids at the same school we have to pick them up so we might as well pick up Trevor."  
  
"But he'll be over there for dinner too. I mean, I'm asking a lot."  
  
"Tracy makes enough food to feed an army."  
  
"I'll pay you. Just name the price and I'll pay you."  
  
"No need for that."  
  
"Yeah there is. We'll figure out some kind of payment. I mean you can't just feed the kid dinner every night and not get paid."  
  
"We'll see. What are you and Trevor doing tonight?"  
  
"Nothing. Why?"  
  
"How about coming over for dinner? That way Tracy and the kids can get to know Trevor a little better."  
  
"Sure. What time?"  
  
"Six?"  
  
"See you then." ***** It was two o'clock when Rylee knocked on the door nervously. "Enter," came the deep voice from within the office.  
  
She opened the door, walked into the office and quietly shut the door behind her. The man sat in his office chair with his back to her. "Lieutenant Swersky?"  
  
"Yes," he answered as he spun his chair around to greet his visitor. "Rylee O'Neill. Have a seat," he pointed to the chair. "Rumor had it you weren't coming back to our neck of the woods."  
  
"Come on Lieu. You know better than to listen to rumors," she grinned.  
  
"Yes, that I do." He opened his desk drawer and pulled out a piece of paper. Swersky held it up for her to see. "I also know better than to accept letters of resignation from my top officers without talking to them about it first. What took you so long to come talk to me?"  
  
Rylee looked down at the floor, then looked at him. She opened her mouth to explain, but he just held up his hand to stop her from saying anything. Swersky handed the letter to her. "I only accept these things in person, not by mail." O'Neill just looked at him as she took hold of the letter. "Now, was there something you wanted to talk to me about *Officer* O'Neill?"  
  
She folded the letter, and shoved it into her pocket. "Yes sir. I was wondering if I could start working with Bosco again tomorrow?"  
  
Swersky nodded. "We'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"Thank Lieu." ***** Rylee headed to the locker room to find Bosco. He and Faith were getting ready for their shift. "Hey Boscorelli. I'm back tomorrow."  
  
"Really?!"  
  
"Yup," she nodded. Then looked over at Faith. "Sorry Sarge. Looks like I'm taking your partner away."  
  
"You can have him," Faith smiled. "He's been getting on my nerves."  
  
"Hey! Come on Yokas. I have not."  
  
"Keep telling yourself that Bosco." She shut her locker. "Now hurry up or you're going to be late for roll call *again*." As Faith walked past Rylee she put a hand on her shoulder. "Good to have you back Rylee."  
  
"It's good to be back Sarge."  
  
Faith exited the locker room, and Bosco closed his locker. He looked at Rylee. "So, tomorrow huh?"  
  
Rylee nodded. "Yeah. That OK?''  
  
"That's great." He looked at her wanting to say more, but he didn't know what.  
  
They both just stood there nodding nervously. "Sorry I haven't called you in the last couple of days. I just had a lot going on, you know with Trevor and everything."  
  
"Hey that's OK. I'm just glad you're coming back to work."  
  
"Me too."  
  
Bosco quickly looked around then looked at his watch. "I better get going."  
  
He left Rylee standing alone in the middle of the room. She was glad that she was coming back to the 55th, and she knew that Bosco was too. But something was different. Their relationship had changed once again. This time because of her confusion that she was his long lost childhood friend. Rylee wasn't sure if this was a good change or not. She'd just have to wait and see. ***** ***** Author's Note: I know, I know.this chapter was lame.but I SWEAR it gets better.Coming in the next chapter----Bosco and Rylee meet up with SIMON DOYLE.not sure who Simon Doyle is----then you may want to go to www.tw- gateway.net/55David and read Demelza81's story "Be the One to Fall" in the fanfiction forum. 


	15. Part 15

Promises Part 15 ****** Sorry this has taken me soooooo long to post. I'll do my best to post faster!  
  
Keep in mind I don't own the Third Watch characters. But I do own Rylee/Dom, Trevor and Johnny. OH, and Simon Doyle belongs to Demelza; she's letting me borrow him because I needed a bad guy :) ****** Bosco looked at Faith from the passenger's seat of their squad car. He figured since today was Faith's last day on the beat that he'd let her drive. He continued to look at her. "Stop looking at me!" she snapped.  
  
"Sorry," he said softly. "You OK about this?"  
  
"About what?" she asked with slight annoyance.  
  
"About Rylee coming back. I mean it puts you back on a desk."  
  
"Bosco I took the sergeant's test on purpose. I *passed* the test on purpose. I *wanted* to be on a desk."  
  
"Did *you* want to be on a desk? Or did *Fred* want you on a desk?!" He asked angrily.  
  
Faith stopped the car and glared at him. "You're out of line Bosco!"  
  
"Am I?!"  
  
"Yes you are!" She threw the car into gear, and tore off down the street.  
  
Twenty minutes passed with no calls, and there was an uneasy silence between the two officers. "I didn't want our last shift together to be like this," he said softly.  
  
"Yeah?! Then you should have kept your mouth shut!" she snarled at him.  
  
"Look I'm sorry OK?" He shifted in the seat so he was looking at her. "It's just.well these past few weeks you've seemed, I don't know, it's like when you're on patrol you're in your element. Are you happy being a house mouse?"  
  
She looked at him. "Of course I'm happy." Faith smiled, but Bosco could see right through it.  
  
"Don't lie Faith."  
  
"Look," she said sternly. "Even if I was unhappy what am I supposed to do about it now? It's too late."  
  
"How do you know? Have you talked to Lieu? Maybe he'll let you back on patrol."  
  
"Right," she huffed. "Like Lieu's gonna just let me go back on patrol. That leaves him minus one sergeant."  
  
"Why do you have to be so negative?!" he growled.  
  
"Not negative Bosco, realistic. Besides, who am I supposed to work with? In case you've forgotten *my* partner already has a new partner."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Faith heard something in his voice; almost like despair. "What's with you?" she asked quietly.  
  
"Nothin'."  
  
"Don't lie Bosco." She turned the tables on him. "I thought you'd be happy working with Rylee again."  
  
"Well, Rylee yes, but.well I'm not working with Rylee anymore."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I'm working with Dom now."  
  
"Rylee. Dom. She's the same person Bosco."  
  
"Yeah, but things are different now."  
  
"Why? Cause you found out Rylee's someone from your past?"  
  
"Well.yeah."  
  
"But you liked Rylee before you knew who she really was, right?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"And you were best friends when you were kids, right?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Then I don't really see a problem."  
  
"I guess," he sighed. "It's just weird."  
  
"I'm sure it is, but I'm sure you guys will be fine. Just give it time, and make sure the two of you stay out of trouble or Swersky will boot both of you."  
  
Bosco nodded and they continued on in silence; however this time it was a comfortable silence. ***** "Bosco isn't that Simon Doyle?" Faith asked as she pointed to a man standing on the corner waiting for the walk signal.  
  
Bosco looked to where Faith was pointing. He raised an eyebrow. "Simon who?" He had no clue who she was talking about.  
  
"You know, Simon Doyle. That guy who used to rob people at ATM machines. He used to always say 'Simon says'."  
  
"I have no idea what you are talking about."  
  
"Yes you do. You laughed about it, and said you always thought 'Simon Says' was the dumbest game." Faith stopped at the red light, and they watched Doyle walk in front of their RMP as he crossed the street.  
  
"When was this?"  
  
She shrugged. "I don't know. Like five years ago."  
  
"Five years ago?! And you still remember? It wasn't like the guy was a mass murderer or anything."  
  
"No, but his fancy lawyer got all the charges against him dropped, and the guy walked away. No punishment. No nothing."  
  
"Yeah so? It happens all the time. The system failed. It's not like it's the first time, and it definitely won't be the last."  
  
"No, but every once in a while over the past five years his name shows up in the arrest records, and he goes to court for some crime, and every time they let him walk."  
  
"So what are you saying?"  
  
"I don't know." She took a right; following Doyle as he walked along the sidewalk. "I just think it's strange. For five years the same guy has been committing crimes, and each time it's something worse. First it was robbery, then it was armed robbery, next I think it was arson. And each time his lawyer gets him out of it. It just doesn't sit right with me. Besides, why would this fancy lawyer, one of the best in the city represent this guy?" She asked as she pointed at Doyle.  
  
Bosco looked at the scraggly man once more. "I don't know. Maybe he's got something on the guy."  
  
"What? Like blackmail or something?"  
  
"Yeah. Maybe he's got some serious dirt on this lawyer. Like maybe the guy was cheating on his wife and Doyle found out. Maybe this Doyle guy has something serious that he keeps threatening to spill. I mean if I was the lawyer and someone had some serious dirt on me, I'd do my damnedest to help the guy get away with murder." Faith looked at him. "OK, maybe not murder, but I'd definitely pull some strings. But that's just my guess. Maybe the two are like lifelong friends or something."  
  
They followed Doyle for a few more blocks before he disappeared into an apartment building. ***** Faith pulled into the parking space, shut off the car and took the keys out of the ignition. She looked at Bosco. "Well, that's it. Tomorrow I'm back to being your sergeant."  
  
He grinned. "It's been fun."  
  
She smiled. "Yeah, it has." ***** He checked out his radio, and Rylee came up behind him. "Hey. You ready to roll?" she asked with a smile.  
  
Bosco looked at her. "You bet." Together they headed for their RMP. "So, you glad to be back."  
  
"Oh yeah. It was nice having time off to get things settled with Trevor, but I was dying to get back out here."  
  
"Well, I'm glad you're back." ***** Faith was reading a file as she walked down the hallway toward the command office when she heard someone call her name. "Hey Faith!"  
  
She turned around to find Johnny approaching her. "Hi Johnny. What brings you here?"  
  
"I was hoping to catch Rylee. She still around?"  
  
"No, she and Bosco actually started their shift on time today. They were pretty eager to go 'roust some scuz' as Bosco put it."  
  
Johnny laughed. "Well Rylee left her cell phone at my place after dinner last night. So I thought I'd drop it off here. Can you make sure she gets it?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"You enjoying sergeant life again?"  
  
Faith looked around to see if anyone was in earshot. She leaned closer to Johnny. "Honestly. I'm going crazy, and I've only been here for forty-five minutes. I'm really starting to wonder why I took the test. I'm bored."  
  
"I know the feeling. Don't get me wrong. I love spending time with my family, but I miss being out there." ***** "Central to 55 David."  
  
"Go ahead Central," Rylee spoke into the CB unit of the RMP.  
  
"A female reported a sexual assault at 1303 85th. Detectives would like you to bring in the suspect. A Simon Doyle in apartment 22."  
  
Bosco looked at Rylee then quickly keyed his radio. "10-4 Central. 55-David 1303 85th." He hit the lights and siren.  
  
"What, you think I've been gone so long that I couldn't handle the rest of that?"  
  
He looked at her. "Oh, sorry it's just this Simon Doyle guy. Faith and I were just talking about him yesterday."  
  
"What about?"  
  
"His past crimes, and how his fancy lawyer *always* gets him off the hook."  
  
They pulled up to the same apartment building that Bosco and Faith had seen Doyle enter the day before. "Here it is, apartment twenty-two," Rylee said as she stopped in front of the door. She knocked, but there was no answer.  
  
Bosco pulled out his billy club and banged on the door. "Police open up!" They could hear movement inside, but Doyle still didn't open the door. Bosco once again slammed his club against the door. "WE KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE DOYLE! NOW OPEN THE DAMN DOOR!"  
  
A few seconds later the door opened slowly. "Can I help you officers?"  
  
"You Simon Doyle?" asked Rylee.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"We need you to come down to the station with us."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"We have a few questions to ask you about a possible sexual assault that occurred in this apartment."  
  
"Nothing like that happened here."  
  
"Well we need you to come down to the station and answer a few questions." Bosco just stood back as Rylee did all the talking. His eyes were fixed on Doyle's face. Bosco was trying to read his expression; trying to figure out if he was lying.  
  
"Can't you just ask me the questions here?"  
  
"No, the detectives at the station need to speak with you."  
  
"I'm not going."  
  
"Sir, you need to come down to the station."  
  
"Am I a suspect?"  
  
Bosco couldn't believe this guy. "It happened in your apartment. What do you think genius?!"  
  
"Well I suppose I should call my lawyer."  
  
"You can call him from the station."  
  
Doyle had taken a few steps into his apartment toward the table where his phone sat. Bosco followed him. "My partner said you could call from the station."  
  
Doyle turned around to find Bosco standing right behind him. "I didn't say you could come in."  
  
"Yeah, well we told you that you could call your lawyer from the station, now lets go." Bosco took a step toward Doyle to guide him out of the apartment. Without warning Doyle pushed an unsuspecting Bosco to the ground. Bosco looked at Doyle from where he now sat on the floor, and shook his head. "Now why'd you have to go and do that?! Now I'm going to have to cuff you for assaulting a police officer."  
  
"I was just defending myself."  
  
"From what?" asked Rylee.  
  
"He was going to attack me."  
  
"Whatever," grumbled Bosco as he stood up, and took the handcuffs off his belt. "Simon Doyle you have the right to remain silent..." Bosco went to cuff Doyle, but he wouldn't cooperate, and Bosco couldn't get the cuffs on him. "Put your hands behind your back." Doyle still wouldn't do what he was told. After numerous tries Bosco finally realized what little game Doyle was playing. "Simon says put your hands behind your back." ***** Bosco, Rylee and Faith stood on the other side of the two-way mirror listening to the detectives interrogate Simon Doyle. His lawyer had basically done nothing but advise him to keep quiet, which he was doing a good job of. The detectives had run out of options, and the only thing left to do was have the victim try to pick Doyle out of a lineup.  
  
Everything was set up, and the lineup was ready. The victim came into the room, and had no problem picking Doyle out. She was positive that Doyle was the man who had raped her. She told the detectives that he had just pulled her off the street, and had dragged her to his apartment. But that he had been clumsy and didn't hide his face or where they were. She said that it was almost as if he didn't care if he was caught.  
  
Bosco looked at Faith as they walked out of the room. "That bastard."  
  
"He better not get away with this one," said an angry Faith. "How could he just pull someone of the street and do that? The guy is sick!"  
  
Rylee came up behind them. "There's no way he'll get out of this. The girl knows it was him."  
  
"Yeah, but is their any evidence?" asked Bosco. "Is there any sign that she was raped, or is it just her word against his?"  
  
"Cause if it's her word against his, he'll get away with it. He always does." 


	16. Part 16

Promises   
Part 16  
******  
Curses, real life got in the way AGAIN! Just a reminder that I don't own any of the THIRD WATCH characters, but I own Rylee/Dom, Trevor and Johnny. And Demelza is letting me borrow Simon Doyle.  
  
Please read and review. Believe it or not feedback makes me write faster!  
******  
"What?! No way!" yelled Bosco.  
  
"That's not possible!" interjected Rylee.  
  
Faith sighed. "Afraid it is. Doyle's lawyer got him off."  
  
"How the hell did he do that?!" questioned Bosco.  
  
"Something about the lineup not being right."  
  
"But how could that be? We were all there. We saw the victim pick Doyle out with no trouble. There was no doubt in her mind!" exclaimed Rylee.  
  
"I know, but his lawyer brought it up to a judge and said that the lineup was unjust or something because Doyle was the only member of his race in the lineup."  
  
"What?!" Bosco looked at Faith. He couldn't believe that the bastard had gotten away with raping a woman. "It wasn't like he was the only white guy in a row of black men!"  
  
"I know but the lawyer said that Doyle was easily selected because the other men in the lineup were Hispanic and Asian. He said that the reason the victim was able to ID him was because he was the only one who stuck out."  
  
"No! She picked him out because she knew it was him!" Bosco was furious and his face was turning red.  
  
"I know Bosco. I'm just as upset as you are, but there isn't anything we can do."  
*******  
"We just going to sit outside his apartment all day long?"  
  
"You got a better idea?!" Bosco snapped at Rylee.  
  
"Look he isn't going to do anything with us sitting right outside his door all day."  
  
"Good! Then we don't have to worry about some other woman getting raped! At least not while we're on duty!"  
  
"What if we get a call?"  
  
"Sully and Davis will take it."  
  
"But what if---"  
  
Bosco turned toward his partner and glared at her. "We're staying here. You hear me?!"  
  
"Geez, what crawled up your ass?!"  
  
"I'm not going to let this bastard hurt anyone else!"  
  
"Hey I'm not real thrilled about what he did either, but you gotta relax."  
  
"I'm relaxed!"  
  
"Riiiiight."  
  
Bosco sighed. "Ok so I'm a little uptight. Big deal."  
  
"Why are you uptight?"  
  
"It's no big deal."  
  
"You can tell me."  
  
"CENTRAL TO 55-DAVID."  
  
"Go ahead Central," Bosco responded knowing that if he didn't answer the call he'd end up having to talk to Rylee, and he just wasn't ready yet.  
  
"WE'VE GOT A PUBLIC DISTURBANCE IN YOUR SECTOR."  
  
"Give it to me Central." He committed the address to memory. "10-4 Central."  
  
Rylee looked at her partner. "Oh, so now we *are* taking calls."  
  
Bosco rolled his eyes.  
*****  
Bosco slowed the car as they approached the address. The two officers looked around the area and noticed a group of high school aged kids sitting on the stoop of an apartment building. They looked at each other. "*That's* the public disturbance?!" asked Rylee with an arched eyebrow. "It's just some kids sittin' outside."  
  
He pulled up onto the curb in front of the teenagers. "Let's get this over with," he grumbled as he got out of the car. Boscorelli and O'Neill approached the group. "Hey boys. How's it goin'?" Bosco asked with a smug grin on his face.  
  
"We ain't doin' nothin' wrong."  
  
"No?" Bosco asked as he stepped closer to the group's vocal leader.  
  
"Naw. We ain't doin' nuttin'."  
  
Bosco nodded as he looked around the group. He noticed that one of the boys in the middle of the group had pulled his hat down over his eyes, and was avoiding looking at either officer. "Hey you! You with the Pacers hat. How can you wear that hat in Knicks country?!" The kid didn't look up. "Hey I'm talkin' to you."  
  
The boy looked up nervously. Rylee's jaw dropped. "Trevor?!"  
  
Bosco looked at Rylee then at Trevor. "You guys can't hang out here. You're annoying the residents. Take your little get together elsewhere." He motioned with his arms for them to clear out. The group groaned as they slowly stood up. Trevor started to walk away, but Rylee grabbed his arm.  
  
"Where you goin' little bro?"  
  
"Nowhere I guess," he said quietly.  
  
"What were you guys doing here? Why'd we get a complaint?"  
  
"We weren't doing anything wrong Rylee I swear. One of the guys has a thing for one of the girls who lives in the building."  
  
"A thing?" asked Bosco.  
  
"Yeah, you know, he likes her. We weren't hurtin' anything. We were just listening to some music and talkin'."  
  
"You better not be lying to me Trev."  
  
"I'm not. I swear."  
  
Rylee nodded. "OK, but if we ever get called out on a complaint again and you're there you are in serious trouble! Now come on. We're taking you home."  
*****  
It had been an hour since they had dropped Trevor off, and Rylee and Bosco were once again sitting in their RMP across from Doyle's apartment. The silence was getting to both of them. "So, Trevor been giving you problems?"  
  
"No!" she snapped.  
  
"OK. OK." He put up his hands. "Now who's the uptight one?" he said under his breath.  
  
"I heard that!"  
  
"Hey I was just asking. I was concerned. I mean it's not everyday you get called to a disturbance and find your partner's little brother is part of it."  
  
"They weren't doing anything."  
  
"Riiiight."  
  
Rylee sighed. "Trevor's new. He's just trying to find himself. You know, see where he fits in."  
  
"Yeah well there's plenty of ways to find yourself that don't involve causing a disturbance and hanging out on a stoop all night."  
  
"What would you know?!"  
  
"I know plenty! I know what those kids turn into! I grew up here remember!"  
  
"Yeah I remember! And it's not my fault that I didn't grow up here!"  
  
"I wasn't taking a stab at you!"  
  
"No???"  
  
"No!" he shook his head. "I was just saying I grew up here and I know what happens when you start hanging out with the wrong crowd. It's hard to get out of it. I wasn't even thinking about your past...our past. I was just going to say that if you need someone...a guy to talk to Trevor that I would. That's all I was trying to say."  
  
"Yeah well you got a lousy way of getting to your point."  
  
"Look, I'm sorry. This is weird for me too OK. A few weeks ago I was getting used to a new partner and the next thing I know I find out she's a blast from the past."  
  
She looked at him with an almost apologetic expression on her face. "Yeah. I'm sorry too. I just really didn't know how to handle telling you."  
  
"You could have told me. I would have understood."  
  
She chuckled. "You say that now, but I don't know."  
  
He looked at her. "Yeah, I guess I don't know either." There was a pause in their conversation. "I'm glad you found me. Really, I'm glad you're back in my life. I used to think about you all the time. Hell, I carried that picture in my wallet for like twenty years. I always hoped you turned out OK."  
  
"Same here. I thought about you a lot. We were just kids, but we sure did go through a lot together. Growing up I always wished you were there when times got tough."  
  
"Funny huh?" he chuckled. "We were just kids." She nodded, and once again there was silence. Bosco looked at her. "What am I supposed to call you?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I mean for all those years I always thought of you as Dom, but now, now I find out you lived a completely different live under a completely different name. What am I supposed to call you?"  
  
"Call me Rylee." Her eyes met his. "I haven't been Dominique Adams in a long time."  
  
Bosco nodded, glad to have that conversation out of the way. It was still very strange to him to have someone from his past magically reappear in his life, but he had to try and remember that the person he had gotten to know over the last couple months was Rylee O'Neill. "So, you hungry?"  
  
"Starved."  
  
"Let's go get something to eat."  
  
"Sounds good."  
******  
After their dinner break they ended up back outside Simon Doyle's apartment. "AUGH! Bosco this guy isn't going to do anything! Not a day after getting away with rape."  
  
"Hey, this guy, this guy will strike again. And when he does. I'm gonna bust his sorry ass!"  
  
"*We're* gonna bust his sorry ass," she corrected him.  
  
He looked at her. "Yeah, that's what I said." He turned his attention back to the apartment.  
  
"So, uh, how's your mom?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, she's OK. She's gettin' by. Works over at a bar on 73rd."  
  
"Yeah? Maybe we could go over there sometime? I'd love to see her."  
  
Bosco nodded. "Sure, I bet she'd like to see you too."  
  
Silence fell over them once again as they watched for activity around Doyle's apartment.  
******  
Bosco put his hand on Rylee's arm to stop her from entering the bar. "Ry?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"You sure you want to see my ma? I mean, life's been rough ya know."  
  
"Of course I do. She was great to me back then. I just wanna let her know that I turned out all right."  
  
"Yeah OK." He nodded and opened the door for her. They walked up to the bar. "Hey ma! A draft for me and a Mountain Dew for my friend."  
  
"Sure thing baby be right there," Angela replied from the end of the bar. After finishing with the other customers she approached Bosco and Rylee. She set down Bosco's beer, and looked up to see who was with her son. Her eyes got wide. "Oh my God. Dominique Adams, how are you?!"  
  
Bosco's jaw just about hit the floor. "I'm good," she smiled. "But it's Rylee now. Rylee O'Neill."  
  
"Rylee? How'd that happen?"  
  
Before Rylee could get into the long story. Bosco finally found his voice after looking at his mother in disbelief. "Whoa! Ma! How'd you know it was her? I mean, I worked with her for almost a month and I had no clue. She had to tell me."  
  
Angela reached over the bar and pinched Rylee's cheek. "Come on Maurice. How could I forget a face like this? Besides, you two always looked like twins. We always thought it was funny back then cause they say everyone has a twin somewhere in the world, and it just so happened that your twin lived less than a mile away. I can't believe you didn't recognize her. She practically has your face."  
  
Bosco looked at Rylee then looked at the mirror behind the bar. He looked back at Rylee, then practically pulled Rylee off her bar stool so they could both look in the mirror. "Ma, we don't look anything alike!"  
  
"I'm with him. We don't look alike!"  
  
"Oh you two, you always hated the fact that you looked alike. You always denied it, but you're adults now. Learn to deal." And with that Angela walked away with a smile as she went to wait on other customers.  
  
Rylee and Bosco looked at each other, both shaking their heads.  
********  
********  
I know, I know, that was kinda lame, but hey I needed to post something...it was like a drought in the land of NYPDBosco fiction! Hope you aren't too disappointed!  
  
The next chapter will have some ACTION...I PROMISE! 


	17. Part 17

Promises  
Part 17  
*****  
I've decided that this chapter was getting TOO long, so I decided to split it up...so there WILL be ONE more chapter after this!  
*****  
In previous chapters...  
--------  
"Johnny, there's something I've been meaning to tell you about that night."  
--------  
"So how long before you get this partner shot like you got Johnny shot?"  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"Huh Rylee? How long before this Boscorelli guy gets tired of your crap, and getting shot at because you rush into dangerous situations? How long before you drive him to quit long before his time?"  
------  
"What did he mean about you getting Johnny shot?" Bosco asked quietly.  
  
Her head shot up. "How much did you hear?!"  
  
"All of it."  
  
"Forget you heard it! It's not true!"  
*******  
  
Rylee and Bosco were in the locker room getting ready for their shift. "So, you get a chance to talk to Trevor before he went to school today?" Bosco asked as he pulled on a t-shirt.  
  
"Yeah. We talked about last night, and I really don't think they were doing anything wrong," she replied as she fastened the Velcro of her bulletproof vest.  
  
"Uh, yeah, nothing other than loitering," he grinned.  
  
"Anyway he got the long lecture about choosing his friends carefully and all that jazz."  
  
"Oh I bet he enjoyed that."  
  
"Afterward he had the *nerve* to tell me I was worse than our parents when it came to lectures," she chuckled. "But he agreed when I told him he needed to stay at Johnny's until I get off work at night. I mean we all saw how grumpy Mrs. Matthews was when I asked her to keep an eye on Trevor last night."  
  
"Yeah, what was up with that? She's usually so friendly."  
  
"I don't know, but I never want to bother her like that again." Rylee waited for Bosco to finish changing, and then they headed for roll call.  
  
Lieutenant Swersky stepped up to the podium. "Well ladies and gentleman we have another report of a sexual assault at 1303 85th Apartment 22." Bosco and Rylee looked at each other. "The suspect is Simon Doyle. Officers O'Neill and Boscorelli brought him in the other day on a different sexual assault charge, but his lawyer worked some magic and he was released. It appears that in the early morning hours Doyle pulled a woman off the street as she headed to work. He dragged her to his apartment where he raped her. This guy didn't hide his face. We know it's him now we just have to catch him, and make the charges stick."  
*****  
"Son of a bitch! He did it again! They should have put twenty four hour surveillance on that bastard's apartment," growled Bosco as he and Rylee headed for their RMP.  
  
"He must not be feeling so sure of himself this time though if he didn't stick around his apartment."  
  
Bosco looked at Rylee as he started the car. "I wanna catch this guy."  
  
Rylee met his gaze. "I wanna kick his ass."  
******  
O'Neill and Boscorelli were on a mission. On a normal day they would stop for coffee before doing anything else. But today was not a normal day. Today they were determined to find a rapist before he attacked again. They couldn't waste time getting coffee.  
  
Bosco stopped the squad in front of Doyle's apartment building. "Wouldn't it be great if he was home, and we could just arrest him and take him in?"  
  
"Yeah, but we both know it never works that way."  
  
When they reached Doyle's apartment Bosco knocked on the door with his nightstick. "Doyle if you're in there you better open the damn door! Don't make me come in there after you!" There was still no answer. "Dammit," he swore through clenched teeth.  
  
"Where now?" asked Rylee.  
  
Bosco shrugged. "I don't know. I guess we just ride around til we find him cause I don't think he's planning on coming back here anytime soon."  
******  
The squad car was silent. They were busy concentrating on looking for Simon Doyle. Conversation would only cause them to lose concentration. It was dark except for the few dim streetlights that were actually working. Bosco and Rylee were once again sitting in their RMP outside of Simon Doyle's apartment. Bosco rested his head against the headrest, and closed his eyes. "He's too smooth. We're never gonna find him!"  
  
"We'll find him," she said with conviction. "He'll slip up, and we'll nail him."  
  
Bosco rolled his head to the side and looked at her. "I bet he's long gone." He turned away from her, and slammed his hand on the steering wheel. "He raped at least two women, and he's going to get away with it!"  
  
"No, he's not going to get away with it," she practically growled.  
  
"Come on Ry. He gets out of everything. His lawyer is slippery. We won't be able to make anything stick."  
*****  
Rylee sighed. "Guess it's about time we head back to the house."  
  
"Yeah." He started the car, and pulled away from the curb. "Guess we'll have to look for Doyle tomorrow."  
  
She shook her head. "You know Reese I really hope someone finds him before our shift tomorrow, but I want a piece of this bastard."  
  
Bosco's grip tightened on the steering wheel. "Me too Ry. Me too."  
  
There were only twenty minutes left in their shift, and they were less than a mile away from the station.  
  
"AVAILABLE UNITS OF THE 5-5. 10-53 INTERSECTION OF KING AND HENRY. MVA. KING AND HENRY."  
  
"That's only a few blocks from here," commented Bosco. "5-5 David responding to MVA at King and Henry."  
  
Bosco screeched the RMP to a halt at the scene of a four-car accident. O'Neill and Boscorelli jumped out of the squad neither of them bothering to shut the car doors as they ran toward the accident.  
  
Rylee ran to an overturned SUV. She knelt down, and peered through the broken passenger's window. "Hey! Everybody OK in here?!" There was a man lying awkwardly in the front seat; blood gushing from a cut on his head, but he was conscious. "Sir where are you hurt?"  
  
"My...my head, and my leg. Owww my leg!"  
  
"Helps on the way. Hang tight." Rylee stood up. She keyed her radio. "5-5 David to Central! We need a bus at this location!" She let go of her radio. "Bosco! Bosco what've you got?"  
  
He stuck his head out from around a smashed Toyota Camry. "The guy over there," he pointed to a motionless man lying on the pavement. "DOA. This guy in here doesn't have a scratch on him, but his passenger is pinned down by the dash. Otherwise they look OK. What about you?"  
  
"This guys got a cut on his head, and his leg hurts. You check that car?" She pointed to a Grand Prix that was pretty much totaled. He shook his head, and they both moved toward the vehicle. It was empty.  
  
Kim and Alex pulled up in their bus followed shortly by Doc and Carlos. The two officers relayed their findings to the paramedics, and then they stood back as the four paramedics took care of the victims. As they stood there Bosco started thinking out loud. "Where'd the driver from the Grand Prix go?"  
  
Rylee shook her head. "Beats me."  
  
He turned to her. "Where the hell do you think he went? I mean, geez, look at that car." He put both arms out toward the car. "How could someone walk away from that?!"  
  
"I don't know. From the angles and positions of the cars it looks like that's the one that started the whole thing."  
  
Bosco looked around at all the people watching the scene. "Betcha one of these morons saw the whole thing. I'm gonna go ask some questions. Why don't you run the plates?"  
  
"You got it." The officers went their separate ways.  
  
Bosco approached a group of people. "You guys see anything?" He asked as he waved his notebook at them indicating that any of them could answer. No one said a word, and they all looked anywhere but at him. "Hello! Any of you see what happened?!" There was still no response. "Look! Someone died here tonight, and I want to know how it happened! If you don't help me, my partner and I will arrest you for hindering an investigation!"  
  
A man stepped forward. "I saw it all."  
  
Bosco smiled inwardly; that threat worked every time. "What happened sir?"  
  
"That car," he pointed, "the Grand Prix the guy musta been drunk. He was swerving all over the street. He was out of his lane, and just plowed into the other car."  
  
"Did you see where the driver went?"  
  
"I'm not real sure. Down that way I think."  
  
"Thank you sir."  
  
"Bosco!" He closed his notebook and turned to his partner. "Come here!"  
  
He jogged over to her. "What's up?"  
  
"Guess who the car belongs to."  
  
He shook his head. "Who?"  
  
"Doyle."  
  
"You're kidding."  
  
"Nope."  
  
He nodded in the direction of the witness. "Guy over there said he was swerving all over the place. Hit this guy head on." He looked at Rylee. "Guy said he thought the driver was drunk," he said softly as he remembered that a drunk driver had killed Rylee's adoptive parents.  
  
Her face grew tight with anger. She surveyed the scene around her. The medics had covered the body of one of the victims with a white sheet. She continued to look around, and her eyes were drawn to the limp body of a teenage boy that Doc, Carlos and some of the firemen had extracted from one of the vehicles. "Shit," she whispered.  
  
Bosco looked at her with concern. "You OK?"  
  
She met his eyes. "I want this bastard! We have to find him now!"  
  
He nodded, and went to the car for their flashlights. "Lets start looking." Bosco handed Rylee one of the lights. He walked around the car to the driver's side. "If I ran. I'd go that way." He pointed with his flashlight. "It'd be a clear shot. There's too much congestion the other way. He would have had to go around the accident."  
  
Rylee came over to her partner's side. They both shined their flashlights into the car. "Look!" Rylee saw it first. "Blood."  
  
Bosco nodded. "He's hurt." He lowered his beam of light to the ground looking for a trail. "There it is. We've got you jag-off!"  
  
Rylee started to follow the trail of blood. Bosco quickly grabbed the back of her shirt to stop her. "What?!" she growled as she spun around and roughly shrugged his hand off her shirt.  
  
"I've been in this situation before. We should get some backup."  
  
"I'm your backup. You're mine. Let's go!" She turned to walk away again, and this time he grabbed her arm.  
  
"Rylee I'm serious," he said sternly.  
  
"So am I." She stepped up to Bosco. "I want this guy! And I know you do too. Lets go find him. Take care of him. We don't need backup. We can handle this!"  
  
Bosco's urge to get Doyle overtook his logical thought process. The situation they were in reminded him a lot of one of the flashbacks he used to have during his panic attacks, but he wanted this guy. Doyle had raped two women, and had killed an innocent person because he was driving drunk. The Bosco of old was back. He nodded. "All right. Let's go."  
  
The two officers walked as fast as they could as they followed the trail of blood that was on the sidewalk. They could tell he was either drunk or hurt badly because the trail weaved back and forth across the sidewalk. Suddenly the trail was gone. "Where'd he go?" asked Rylee as she looked around.  
  
Bosco shined his light to the left. "Down there probably." It was a dark alley. Rylee drew her gun, and started down the alley. Bosco grabbed her. "Are you nuts?! Don't be stupid! You've got a flashlight. If he's still down there he's going to see you first! We call backup. We *wait* for backup."  
  
Rylee looked at him. "I *want* this guy."  
  
"So do I, but he could be armed and neither one of us needs to get shot!"  
  
"What if he's not even here anymore?! We could miss our chance to nail him."  
  
"Don't go stupid on me now Ry! Use your brain!"  
  
She took a deep breath. "Sorry. It's just these drunk-driving accidents..." her voice trailed off.  
  
He nodded. "I know." Bosco keyed his radio. "5-5 David to Central. Send backup to..."  
*****  
He hadn't heard the officers say anything in what seemed like an eternity, so he figured they must have given up and left. But he couldn't go back the way he came because someone was sure to be looking for him. Doyle slowly stood up. He looked around into the darkness. There was a chain link fence at the end of the alley, but with the injury to his hand he couldn't climb it. He noticed a door leading into one of the buildings. With his good arm he elbowed the window next to the door, shattering the glass. He then stuck his hand through the window, and unlocked the door. He let himself inside. Doyle figured he'd just lay low for a while.  
*****  
They stood in silence next to the alleyway waiting for their backup when they heard glass shattering. Instinctively they both turned their flashlights down the dark alley. There was the unmistakable sound of a door opening and closing. Boscorelli and O'Neill looked at each other and without saying a word drew their guns and advanced.  
  
"Rylee," he whispered loudly as he spotted the broken window. He waved her over.  
  
She looked at him as she reached for the doorknob. "You comin' with me?"  
  
His anger was taking over. Later he'd probably say he was going on instinct, but the truth was it was anger controlling him. He was angry that Doyle had raped two women. Angry because Doyle had killed at least one person in a car accident. Angry because with Doyle on the streets no woman was truly safe. But most of all he was angry because Doyle's actions had affected his partner in a way he couldn't even imagine, he could see it in her eyes. Deep down he knew that two wrongs didn't make a right. He knew that he should be trying to talk Rylee into waiting for backup, but that had never been his style. It was always Faith's job to keep him grounded, but Faith wasn't his partner now and she wasn't here to talk him out of it. He was here with Rylee, and his thoughts were the same as hers. Bosco looked at her. "I want this jag-off." Guns drawn they entered the building.  
  
They stepped inside the door, and looked around. Both officers turned off their flashlights. It was fairly well lit for the time of night it was. They were in some kind of community grocery store, and there were still a couple lights on. They were in the middle of an aisle, and appeared to be about fifteen feet into the store. Rylee looked around. "There's two other ways out," she whispered as she pointed to both exit signs; one of which was located in the front of the store, the other in the back. "No way he left cause that would put him out on the street," she continued to whisper.  
  
Bosco nodded. The adrenaline was coursing through his veins. "He's hiding," he whispered back. He thought he heard something, and put his finger to his lips telling his partner to listen. It was the sound of footsteps. He pointed at Rylee and then toward the front of the store. He then pointed to himself and then toward the back of the store. She nodded, and they crept off in opposite directions.  
  
When they were in their positions at the end of the aisle Bosco gave a countdown with his fingers. Three. Two. One. Instantly they sprang into action checking each aisle one by one.  
  
There were cars passing by on the street, but it was eerily quiet inside the store. Rylee felt her heart pounding in her ears. In the back of her mind she knew this was a mistake. She and Bosco should not have entered the store without waiting for backup to arrive, but there was no levelheaded partner to talk sense into her. Johnny had always done that, but he wasn't here. It was her and Bosco. Two hotheaded, glory-hungry cops who were angry at the world.  
  
They'd cleared four aisles of the grocery store with no sight of Doyle, and there were only three aisles left. Bosco's eyes darted all around. The store wasn't completely dark, but it was dark enough to make him nervous. It was almost an excited kind of nervous. A nervousness that heightened his senses.  
  
Doyle knew that someone was getting closer because he could see a shadow creeping slowly toward the aisle he was in. The affects of the alcohol he had earlier was slowly wearing off. His left hand was starting to throb with pain. It had stopped bleeding a while ago. Adrenaline was in control of him now. It was fight or flight, and he was going to fight. He reached behind his back, and pulled his gun from the waistband of his jeans.  
  
Bosco slowly stepped into the opening of the next aisle, and the first thing he saw was the orange-red glow of a gun being fired.  
  
Rylee crept forward, and heard a gunshot. She quickly retreated, and took cover at the end of the aisle. For a brief second she froze with fear.  
  
Doyle grinned as he heard the bullet slam into the officer, then watched in the dim light as he fell backward, and landed with a crash in the shelves behind him. Proud of himself he hurried off in the other direction.  
  
She heard him approaching, and planned her attack. As Doyle cleared the end of the aisle she stuck her foot out, and he tripped. As he fell his gun slid across the floor. Rylee put her knee in his back pinning him to the ground. "Bosco?!" She called over her shoulder. "I got him. You OK?" He didn't respond. "Reese!"  
  
Doyle started to laugh. "I shot him. Point blank range," he said proudly. "Got him in the head. Simon says he's dead."  
  
Rylee quickly keyed her radio. "10-13 Officer down! Officer down! I need an ambulance forthwith!" She gave them the location. "Reese?!" she yelled again, but still no answer. Her fear for her partner just added to her hatred for Doyle. O'Neill flipped him onto his back.  
  
He smiled at her. "Simon says he's de-."  
  
She didn't wait for him to finish. Rylee began raining punches on him. With her whole body behind it she punched him repeatedly in the face. When her right arm tired she continued with her left. It was a flurry of punches. Blood ran from cuts on Doyle's cheek as well as from his nose and mouth. Rylee heard sirens approaching, and pulled herself off of Doyle. She glared down at him, and he looked up at her. His eyes begging her to stop the attack. The corner of her mouth crept up into a sadistic smile, and she winked at him. "Simon says." Then she kicked him in the stomach as hard as she could. She didn't bother cuffing him; he wasn't going anywhere.   
  
She ran toward her partner. She was almost afraid to look at Bosco as Doyle's words haunted her. "Point blank range. Got him in the head." She feared the worst. Once again a partner was shot because of her.  
  
He was lying motionless on the floor amongst some broken shelves. Rylee knelt down next to him, and held her breath. "Thank God." She exhaled. Doyle's aim was off.  
  
Though he was unconscious his hand was clutching his chest. His breathing was labored, but his pulse was strong. She quickly unbuttoned his shirt, and started ripping at the Velcro on his vest. There was no sign of blood. She exhaled. "Reese buddy, wake up. Come on man, don't scare me like this."  
  
A paramedic tapped her on the shoulder, and she willingly got out of their way. She watched as they placed an oxygen mask on her still unconscious partner and friend. Then they loaded him on a stretcher. "He gonna be OK?"  
  
The older paramedic nodded. "Looks like it. Bullet hit his vest, probably broke a rib, but there is always the possibility of internal damage. He's got a pretty nice bump on his head. Must have hit it on one of the shelves when he went down."  
  
Rylee nodded, and started to follow the medics out of the store. She stopped when she got to the officers that were hauling Doyle to his feet. "You guys got his gun right?"  
  
"Yeah. Yeah we did," replied one of the officers. "Your partner OK?"  
  
She nodded. "For now. Bullet hit his vest."  
  
The officer nodded. "What exactly happened here?"  
  
Rylee opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted by one of the paramedics. "Hey, you coming?!"  
  
She turned quickly. "Yeah, be right there!" She looked at the two officers. "I gotta go." 


	18. Part 18

Promises  
Part 18  
THE CONCLUSION  
******  
Dun dun dun! It's finally over! It's about time eh?! Keep in mind that I only own the characters that you have never heard of! Enjoy, and thanks for all the great feedback on this story!  
  
Oh yeah, and I have NO medical knowledge!  
******  
The ambulance ride to Mercy seemed to take an eternity. Rylee sat in the seat in the back of the bus. From where she sat at the head of the gurney she was unable to hold Bosco's hand, so instead she leaned forward so she was hovering over him, and had her hand resting on his shoulder. He was still unconscious, but she thought that maybe he'd be able to feel her presence somehow.  
  
When they got to the hospital a team of nurses and doctors were standing by. They quickly pulled the back doors of the ambulance open, and began wheeling Bosco inside as the senior paramedic rattled off vitals, and all the other important information that Rylee didn't understand. She hurried after the gurney, trying to keep up with the emergency room staff.  
  
Rylee followed them into the trauma room, and stood at the end of the exam table with a lost expression on her face. Everything she saw seemed so foreign yet it also seemed so familiar. She didn't remember a whole lot about the night Johnny was shot; just bits and pieces, but those bits and pieces were enough to haunt her for the rest of her life.  
  
"Officer? Officer?" Rylee barely heard the words the nurse standing next to her had spoken, and in all honesty she wasn't really sure if the nurse was speaking to her. "You can't stay in here," the nurse continued softly.  
  
Rylee slowly turned her head to look at the nurse. "Right," she nodded. "Right," she repeated absently. She turned her attention back to her partner who lay motionless on the exam table, and was surrounded by medical personnel. That's when she realized that something tonight was different from the night Johnny was shot.  
  
There was no blood.  
  
That had to be a good sign.  
  
Right?  
******  
Rylee stood outside the glassed in room. Even though it was tearing her up inside to see people poking and prodding her injured partner she couldn't seem to unglue her eyes from the scene. She wished it was her in there, and not him. Why didn't Doyle shoot her? Why Bosco? Did Doyle really think he'd get away with it? Did he really think that an officer was searching for him alone-with no backup?  
  
"Rylee?" a worried female voice broke into her thoughts.  
  
"Yeah," she replied in a whisper as she continued to watch the doctors work.  
  
"What happened?" questioned Faith.  
  
O'Neill inhaled deeply, and then closed her eyes. "We tracked Doyle down after that car accident," she said softly. "He hid in an alley...we called for backup...backup never showed...heard him go into the building...we followed," she shrugged as if she didn't know how to continue. Rylee motioned toward the trauma room. She seemed a million miles away. "I didn't think this would happen," her voice was barely audible.  
  
"You should have waited for backup," said a gruff male voice from behind them.  
  
Rylee spun on her heels. "Excuse me?!"  
  
"You heard me. You should have waited for backup, but no, you two hot headed glory hungry wannabe heroes had to go in alone!"  
  
Faith just stared at the officer in disbelief. How could he come in here and say that to a fellow officer whose partner had been shot? Did this man have no conscience?  
  
Rylee didn't take too kindly to the man's words. "We did wait for backup you son-of-a-bitch! We waited over half an hour! Where the hell were you?!"  
  
He shrugged. "It was shift change. What did you expect?"  
  
"Shift change?! Shift change! Your excuse for not getting there to back up two fellow officers is shift change?!"  
  
He looked Rylee in the eye. "Well, that and the fact that you and Boscorelli don't rank so high on my list--" As the words came out of his mouth Rylee flew off the handle. She lunged at the man, and slammed him hard against the nurses' station.  
  
"You fucking asshole! You were going to leave us high and dry cause you don't like us?!" she growled. "What the hell kind of cop are you?!" She grabbed him by the shirt and proceeded to slam him against the counter once more.  
  
"Rylee. Rylee let him go," Faith tried to intervene.  
  
"O'NEILL!" Swersky's voice filled the air.  
  
Rylee loosed her grip on the officer. "You better pray my partner's all right!" She let go of his shirt, and walked away.  
  
Swersky started to go after her, but Faith stopped him. "Come on Lieu. Giver her a chance to cool down."  
  
He shook his head and bit his lip. His face was red with anger. He had warned her that if he ever saw her assault an officer again she was done. "She blew it this time Yokas."  
  
Faith nodded. "Pure emotion Lieu. She's not thinking straight."  
  
Swersky took a deep breath. "How is Boscorelli?"  
******  
Half an hour later Faith found Rylee in the nurses' lounge. "Hey," she said softly. "Bosco's doctor wants to talk to us." Rylee nodded wordlessly, and slowly followed Faith into the hallway where the doctor was waiting. "So how is he?"  
  
"Officer Boscorelli is doing quite well. He has a concussion which we'll be keeping an eye on, and he has some pretty severe bruising to his chest from the impact of the bullet, and his back is bruised from the way he fell. His left lung is also slightly bruised, and he has a couple cracked ribs, he's going to be very sore, but other than that he is fine. Kevlar is a lifesaver."  
  
"Is he awake?" Faith questioned.  
  
"Not right now, but he did wake up briefly when we transferred him to a room. He basically just opened his eyes and then fell asleep."  
  
"So he's going to be OK?"  
  
"Yes," the doctor smiled. "He's going to be fine."  
  
"May we go see him?"  
  
He nodded. "But just to let you know, we have him hooked up to a heart monitor, and an oxygen mask. Not only because of the injuries he sustained, but also due to his history. We want to be prepared in the event that he wakes up and doesn't know where he is or what happened. Having the heart monitor and oxygen in place will help him if he has a panic attack."  
  
Rylee shot daggers at the doctor, and spoke up for the first time. Her emotions were running hot and cold. First she would be mad, then sad then she'd go back to being mad. It was a vicious cycle, and unfortunately for the doctor he was on the receiving end of one of her bad moods. "He hasn't had a panic attack in ages! You doctors need to quit handling him like he's glass when he comes in here! He isn't going to break!"  
  
The doctor looked shocked as he wasn't expecting an outburst like that. "He's going to need the oxygen anyway because of the injury to his lung, and the heart monitor is standard procedure when a patient has been unconscious," he explained in his defense.  
  
"Then why bring up the panic attacks?!"  
  
He put his hands up. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up."  
  
Faith stepped in. "So can we see him now?"  
  
"Room 215."  
  
"Thank you." Faith guided Rylee down the hall by her elbow. "You OK?"  
  
"Fine."  
  
Faith knew that no one could be fine in a situation like this. Bosco was going to be OK, but it was still frightening when your partner and friend was shot in the line of duty. Add to that the words of dislike from the other cop, and it made for a mentally draining experience.  
  
They quietly entered Bosco's hospital room, and found him just as they had been told; asleep and hooked up to oxygen and a heart monitor. He looked small and fragile against the sterile white of the hospital gown and linens, compared to how strong he looked in his bold blue police uniform.  
  
Faith walked over to the bed, and placed a gentle kiss on her friend's forehead. "Hey Bos," she whispered then settled into the chair next to the bed. Careful not to disturb the IV in his hand she held onto his fingers.  
  
Rylee sat on the large window ledge, and watched as Faith made their presence known to their unconscious friend. Inside Rylee wished that she were comfortable enough about her friendship with Bosco to kiss his forehead, and hold his hand, but after what happened tonight she wasn't even sure she should be here. So she just looked at Bosco from a distance almost afraid that if she got too close to him she would injure him more. That just seemed to be her luck.  
  
Nurse Proctor entered the room carrying a plastic bag. "These are Bosco's things. I figured I'd bring them up her cause I know one of the first questions out of his mouth when he wakes up is going to be 'where's my gun?'"  
  
Faith chuckled at the nurse's impersonation of Bosco. She took the bag from her. "Thanks Mary."  
  
The nurse smiled warmly at Rylee. "Just let us know if you need anything." Rylee continued to look at Bosco with an absent look on her face. Proctor frowned.  
  
"We will," replied Faith. When Proctor left Faith opened the plastic bag that held Bosco's belongings. She placed his gun and badge on the bedside table. She continued to go through his things to make sure that all of his uniform was there. Faith knew Bosco would have a fit if any of his things were lost and he had to purchase them again. As she went through the bag and folded his clothes she found something at the bottom that made her smile. It was the St. Michael's medallion she had given to him the first day Bosco had started working with Rylee. She shook her head in disbelief. Faith couldn't believe that he had been wearing the necklace. It made her feel good knowing that he didn't resent her for taking the sergeant position.  
*****  
It was over an hour later, Bosco was still asleep and Faith and Rylee were still keeping their silent vigil. Fred had stopped by earlier to check on Faith, and somehow someone had gotten a hold of Johnny and he had called to let Rylee know that he would take care of Trevor for the night. Rylee hadn't said a word on the phone. In fact she hadn't said anything in the last hour or so.  
  
Faith absently traced Bosco's hand with her index finger. She looked over at Rylee who was still staring at her sleeping partner. Not knowing what exactly to do she put a smile on her face. "He's going to be fine Rylee."  
  
Rylee nodded slowly. "I know," came her hoarse response. A moment passed before she spoke again. "I'm sorry," she said softly, her voice full of emotion.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I let this happen. I should have stopped it from happening."  
  
"You didn't know Rylee. How could you stop it when you didn't know?!"  
  
"I should have waited for backup. I should have thought it through."  
  
"You reacted. It was instinct. Besides, you couldn't have known."  
  
"But I should have."  
  
"But you couldn't."  
  
"But I should have!!"  
  
Faith shook her head. Getting through to Rylee was about as easy as getting through to Bosco. "Rylee you have to stop beating yourself up. OK, so maybe you messed up, but Bosco's going to be fine. You have to let it go."  
  
"I can't." She pulled her knees up to her chest, and turned to stare out the window. "This is too much like the last time," she whispered.  
  
"Last time?" Faith didn't understand.  
  
"The night Johnny got shot."  
  
Faith knew there was something Rylee needed to get off her chest. She didn't want Rylee to keep it to herself any longer, so she approached the subject with caution. "What happened," she asked gently.  
  
Rylee looked over at Faith, and noticed the look of concern on her friend's face. She needed to unload the burden after what had happened tonight because it had triggered all the old memories again. Once again she stared out the window. She took a deep, calming breath to gain control of her emotions.  
  
"It was a little after nine o'clock on a Monday night," she started slowly. "Johnny always hated Mondays." She grinned briefly as she thought of her former partner. "We got a call about a DUI in our sector, and we were getting ready to pull the guy over when he swerved and slammed into a mini van." Rylee paused.  
  
Faith momentarily took her eyes off of Rylee as she felt Bosco weakly squeeze her hand. He was awake and looking at her with confused eyes. She put her finger to her lips indicating for him to stay quiet, and listen. She looked back at Rylee when she continued.  
  
"The driver hopped out of the car and took off. We hurried over to the van. I remember the blood. There was so much blood," her voice wavered slightly and she wiped at her eyes. She continued to stare outside. "The man and woman were both dead, but there was a little boy in the backseat. He was alive, and instantly I thought of the drunk driver who killed the O'Neills and left Trevor without parents. I was furious, and I lost it. I went after the guy without thinking." She sighed. "Everything's pretty much a blur after that. I remember a dark building, Johnny trying to talk sense into me, then the gunshots and Johnny hitting the floor. The guy was so loaded on drugs and alcohol he had just started firing." She hung her head. "Johnny was in so much pain. There was so much blood." She shook the images from her mind. "That's when Johnny left the force and I came to the fifty-fifth. I promised myself I'd never do something that half-cocked again...but tonight...when I heard that Doyle might have been drunk...I lost it. Bosco tried to talk some sense into me, but I wouldn't listen," her voice sounded tormented. "I could have gotten him killed tonight."  
  
Bosco squeezed Faith's hand as hard as he could. Faith knew what he wanted her to say. "But you didn't. He's alive. He's OK."  
  
"But he could have----"  
  
"No buts Rylee. We all have times when we go off when we're reminded of such horrible things. It happens, but you have to find a way to deal with it and move on."   
  
"I don't know if I can. Not after tonight. I can't risk doing this to Reese again," she choked out.  
  
Bosco squeezed Faith's hand again, and she looked down at him. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he wanted to say something. Faith watched as he reached up with a shaky hand to try and remove the oxygen mask that covered his nose and mouth. Bosco winced as he moved his arm, the pain from his bruised body causing him to drop his hand back down. He looked determined to give the movement another try, but Faith shook her head.  
  
"Rylee," Faith said softly as she watched Bosco.  
  
"Yeah?" she asked, her head still turned away.  
  
"Come here for a sec."  
  
Rylee slowly shuffled over to the bed, and noticed Bosco's eyes were open. She looked at Faith. "How much did he hear?"  
  
Faith smiled softly. "Every word." She stood up and patted Bosco's shoulder. "I'll be back in a little while."  
  
Bosco slowly lifted his hand about an inch. Rylee took the hint, and took his hand in hers. Rylee looked deep into her friend's eyes and saw the sadness and concern. Bosco could see the fear and uncertainty in her eyes.  
  
She closed her eyes for a moment. Bosco's eyes had always made her give in. Even when they were kids he could just look into her eyes and she would crack. It was as if his expressive eyes were the key that unlocked her feelings.  
  
When she opened her eyes he was still looking at her. She squeezed his hand. "Reese I'm sorry. For tonight, the broken birthday promise, for everything. I'm sorry."  
  
His eyes smiled at her, and with that simple expression a huge weight was lifted from her. She leaned over, and placed a kiss on his forehead.  
*****  
31 DAYS LATER 2:30PM  
Bosco burst into the locker room. "Outta my way!"  
  
"Geez, why so cranky? It's your first day back on full duty. I thought you'd be happy," joked Faith from where she stood at her locker.  
  
"Well I would be if I hadn't spent the entire day on the phone with the damn credit card company! I paid off that stupid card over a month ago and those jag-offs say I still owe them two hundred dollars!"  
  
"That'd be enough to piss me off," Rylee commented from where she was changing into her civvies. She walked over to him, and put a hand on his shoulder. "Welcome back Reese."  
  
"Thanks. How you doin'?"  
  
"Good now that the thirty days with no pay suspension Swersky gave me is over."  
  
"It could have been worse," Faith reminded her.  
  
"Oh I know. I'm not complaining."  
  
Bosco turned to the officer sitting next to him on the bench. "So how was your first day back," he asked as he buttoned up his uniform shirt.  
  
"Well I'm a little rusty. Been a long time since I worked days," chuckled Johnny. "But it's good to be back on the force."  
  
"I hear ya," smiled Faith. "Come on Bos. We don't want to be late for roll call."  
  
Bosco followed his partner to the door, but stopped to face his former partner and her new partner. "See Ry, things worked out."  
  
Rylee looked at Johnny then back at Bosco. "Yeah Reese they sure did." She pulled on her jacket. "You and Faith be safe out there today."  
  
He smiled at his friend. "Promise."  
**********  
**********  
Well folks I hope you liked it. Sorry it took me forever to complete! Also I left the whole Doyle thing untouched in this chapter on purpose....who knows maybe I'll revisit it someday :) 


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